


EGO-typical 3

by Tabbynerdicat



Series: EGO-typical [4]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: A Lot Of Cheating, A lot of them - Freeform, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Anti is also violently demisexual, Anti is violently bisexual, But not explicit, Cheating, Dark has identity issues, F/M, Genderfluid Dark, I don't know anything about cancer, I'm not kidding, If You Squint - Freeform, M/M, Mpreg, No Septiplier, No Tyler/Ethan, No explicit underage/non con, Oral Sex, Polyamory, Self-Harm, Septiplier/Phan, Sexual Abuse, Steven Universe References, Suicide, There is explicit sex tho, Transgender Dark, Vaginal Fingering, Wilford is a hoe, ego fusion is a thing, kinda sorta sibling incest, sorry - Freeform, you were warned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2019-08-19 18:32:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 42
Words: 364,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16539920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabbynerdicat/pseuds/Tabbynerdicat
Summary: "I..." Dark started, "I've just been in counsel with the doctors, and...""And?" Seán pressed, the strange feeling in his stomach growing with every breath he took.Dark looked him in the eyes, sad and desperate for something Seán didn't quite know how to place."I'm carrying a child..."Dark just doesn't know who to turn to- it's been a stressful two months, and the father of his child is nowhere to be found. And now, he's stuck in the real world with only Mark, Amy and Seán to turn to- how could it get any worse?Meanwhile, Anti feels lost and confused. He wants to see Dark again, with all his heart, but he also wants Dark to understand that he isn't some child anymore. He wants to make his own decisions, but will his decisions help to mend his broken relationship, or only drive them even further apart?They're having a baby. They're not ready for it.And neither are the rest of the egos...(Book 3 in the EGO-typical series)





	1. Prologue

**~Groundlands~**

Seán took his hands away from the computer, having just finished the last pre-recording before his flight to LA. His hand felt cramped from holding his computer mouse for too long, and he decided to knead his joint softly to ease the pain. It hadn't been easy, deciding to leave his home for two months while he stayed in a whole other country. But then, this house hadn't really felt like home in a long time.

Boxes were laid messily around, some full and sealed, some half empty. It took all of Seán's will not to heave an emotional sigh. It had been two months, after all. Two months since they'd broken up, but he still clung to the memories and happiness they'd had together before as if nothing had changed.

Pathetic, wasn't it?

Signe wasn't here today- she was out looking for apartments, equally as pained as he was with every moment she spent in this place. Seán supposed he couldn't blame her for wanting to move out- the idea had crossed his mind more than a few times. They'd lived in this house together for years, and Seán couldn't walk through the halls for even seconds without the longing memories bursting forth.

No matter. He would soon be kilometers away in Los Angeles, with Robin, and Tucker, and Mark, and Ethan...

A loud thump brought Seán out of his haze, immediately putting him on alert. Was there someone in his house? Surely he would have heard Signe come in...

He grabbed the closest weapon- which just so happened to be an old microphone, being in his studio- and cautiously headed in the direction he'd heard the sound. It seemed to have come from the bathroom, and now that he was growing near he could definitely hear the sound of running water.

"Who's there?" Seán called out, raising his microphone defensively. He'd never hit someone with a microphone before, but at least he had something other than his fist to rely on.

"Seán?"

Seán dropped his microphone in shock. That voice...  _Mark's_  voice, but where had he heard it before?

No, it couldn't be...

"D-Dark?" Seán asked nervously, opening the door to find a scene of absolute havoc.

He'd gotten a new mirror since May- after Dark had shattered his last one, that is. His bathroom had been somewhat restored to its original state, but looking at it now, Seán was taken aback at just how easily it had fallen apart.

Well, at least it wasn't the mirror this time. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for anything else.

The tap was broken- bent, lying in the sink as water began to bubble forth from the gaping hole in his basin. The vanity was covered in various soap remnants, their containers knocked aside as if someone had divebombed the structure from directly above it.

And Dark was there- the man he hadn't seen in two months, suit and all. His hair seemed a little longer, his clothes smeared with detergent and suds, his skin the same gray tone as always.

Seán didn't need to hear Dark's explanation to know what had happened. Obviously, Dark had attempted to come here using his mirror, which Seán had gathered was his primary means of travel. He wagered a guess that Dark hadn't accounted for the fact that the mirror was above several objects that were quite painful to fall onto.

" _Shit_ , man, what did you  _do_?" Seán asked, setting the microphone down on a dry patch of floor and helping Dark up. For the first time since Seán had seen him, his eyes weren't blue nor red- they were black, and somewhat teary.

"I... Anti isn't here, is he?" Dark sighed, one hand reaching up to wipe his eyes, the other planted as if holding his stomach. Seán had to wonder if that was the part of Dark's body that had broken his tap, but before he could ask, Dark stiffened in his arms.

"I need a chair," Dark said hurriedly, not waiting for Seán as he stumbled into the hallway, making a beeline towards the living room.

Seán followed hastily, second hand panic coursing through his veins. Why was Dark here? Why did he think Anti was here?  _Was_  Anti here, and Seán just hadn't realised it yet?

Why did Dark look like he'd just seen a ghost?

He arrived just in time to see the demon fall limply into a lounge chair, his chest heaving as if he was experiencing some kind of shock. Seán followed worriedly, reaching out to feel Dark's forehead.

_Cold as ever..._

"Dude, what  _was_  that?" Seán asked, feeling something turn in his stomach. He took a seat beside Dark, pushing his discomfort aside and dismissing it as nothing but the consequence of his sudden movement.

Dark reached out to grip Seán's hand, his knuckles turning white. His entire arm was shaking like something Seán had seen in a horror movie once.

"I..." Dark started, "I've just been in counsel with the doctors, and..."

"And?" Seán pressed, the strange feeling in his stomach growing with every breath he took. He began to sweat nervously.

Dark looked him in the eyes, sad and desperate for something Seán didn't quite know how to place.

"I'm carrying a child..." the demon uttered, closing his eyes in pain.

The following silence was thick enough to smother him as Seán gaped at the man before him. Confusion mixed with denial, mixed with panic flooded through him and he couldn't help but fall back in his chair, feeling faint.

"I- you're- you're  _pregnant_?" Seán uttered, his voice barely more than a squeak. "No, how can-?"

Then, Seán remembered. The last day he'd spent with Dark, all those weeks ago, he'd been starting his period. If Dark had periods like regular women, then Seán supposed that there was nothing stopping him from getting pregnant like them as well.

"However unlikely," Dark started, his voice just above a whisper. "However abnormal it is, I seem... I seem to have missed two menstrual cycles, Seán... It scares me, how much I still do not know about the capabilities of this form. Of course, I checked with the doctors before coming to this conclusion- but none of that is important, now. I only wish to find Anti, and I had hoped... I had hoped he'd be here,"

Seán blinked, trying to let the information settle in, but the tingles running through his body were distracting at the very least.

"I..." Seán started, but he couldn't finish his sentence before he found himself knocked back by an internal force, watching the scene unfold as if through someone else's eyes.

 _"Dark!"_  his voice scolded, though he'd never told his mouth to say the word.  _"Vhat are you doing?! Travelling vith a child is dangerous!"_

Was that  _Schneep?!_

Dark looked crestfallen. "I- I know, doctor, but I had to find him, he's been gone for a week now and-"

Seán felt his eyes roll, almost as if he was discrediting Dark's worry, when in reality, he was confused and concerned both for the demon and for himself. Was it really Schneep? How had he taken over Seán's body like this- how was he even  _here_?

Seán felt his chest heave as he huffed suddenly.  _"Zat is no excuse, Dark. Es ist sehr unhealthy to be treating your child zis vay- you could have left zhem behind, und zat vould have killed zhem! You cannot travel anymore, Dark, for ze safety of du und deine kind!"_

"But I  _can't_  stay-"

_"You should have thought of zat before you did something so foolish, Dark,"_

Seán suddenly became conscious of his own breathing, his skin tingling all over as if his body was awake again. He flexed his fingers experimentally, finally feeling that he was in control again. _  
_

"Gah!" Seán cried, now that he had the chance. He fixed Dark with a scared, confused expression. "What the fook was that?!"

Dark took a shuddering breath, his eyes closed, his hair flowing slightly in the breeze coming from the closest window. He looked troubled, but Seán was absolutely livid.

"Dark, seriously! I don't- I don't know what to do about  _any_ of this!"

"I am terribly sorry," Dark uttered, not meeting Seán's eyes. "I... I did not mean for you to be caught up in all of this. I simply thought... I thought Anti might have been possessing your body,"

" _Why_  would he do that, though?" Seán asked, tears of confused bewilderment beading in the corners of his eyes. "He's never possessed me without killing me first!"

"I know that," Dark sighed. "But I haven't been able to find him in the Void, and it's crucial that I do,"

"Why do you need to find him so desperately- couldn't you have just stayed where you live?"

Dark's eyes met Seán's own challengingly. "Because he is the father of my child, Seán. He has as much of a right as I to know that we are expecting, and given that he has been missing for the past week, the knowledge has only fueled me to find him faster,"

Wait.

Anti was  _the father?_

"Oh my Lord," Seán sighed in defeat, holding his face in his hands. "When I said  _date_ him, I didn't mean-"

"Do you honestly think I  _want_  a child this early in our relationship?" Dark asked incredulously. "Though I will love them unconditionally, the timing could not be more inconvenient- especially since Anti and I are going through a tough place right now..."

"So... so Anti wasn't in your Void," Seán uttered, trying to piece together some form of understanding. "So you assumed he was here?"

"It's not just that, Seán," Dark explained, giving up on wiping his teary eyes as the fluids spilled forth. "His house was gone- he left in a rage and he usually goes to his place to cool down, but when I followed him it- it wasn't there, I... I was so  _certain_  he'd be here... I'm such a fool,"

Seán sighed loudly. "No, you're not a fool, you're just way too worried for your own damn good. Now tell me- was that Schneep that just spoke through me?"

Dark bit his lip and nodded grimly. "Yes, it was. He was... concerned about me coming here, to say the least,"

"Yeah, I gathered that," Seán stated. "It's just... he said you couldn't travel back, right? I heard that correctly?"

"When I use mirrors for transportation," Dark started, "my body undergoes a physical change. In the Void, my actions affect my body, but it is not all there... when I came here, I knew something was wrong. I felt... heavier. Less stable. I panicked, and fell, and that's where you found me..."

Dark licked his lips nervously. "I fear he is right- I wasn't thinking clearly when I came here, and it could have cost me the life of my child. I'm not going to put them at risk again, but... I don't want this to impact you, Seán- I'm so sorry I let this happen, I-"

"Calm down, Dark," Seán urged, patting the demon's hand softly. "We'll... we'll find a way to make this work. Except... ugh, I'm meant to be catching a plane tonight, there won't be any tickets left for you,"

"Where were you going?" Dark asked curiously, his other hand never leaving his abdomen as if he was scared someone would hurt the baby growing within.

"Los Angeles," Seán answered. "I've been... I've been going through some shit,"

Dark's eyebrows furrowed. "Is that why there are so many boxes around? Are you moving away?"

Seán's breath hitched in his throat, his already sore eyes beginning to prickle with unwitting tears. "N-no, that's... that's Signe,"

There was silence for a moment.

"Oh," Dark said, rubbing his stomach softly. "I apologise,"

"It's... fine," Seán sighed in response. "It's nothing, don't worry,"

Dark wasn't fooled. If Seán looked hard enough, he could see a tinge of blue in Dark's regretful  eyes.

"If you insist, I shall let it be," Dark replied, though he looked like he had many more things to say. "I can see that I have come at a difficult time for you- I do not have to stay with you if it makes things easier, I... I can manage. Do not let me impose any further on your life, Seán- I've done enough,"

"No," Seán responded, shaking his head. "Don't give me that- you have nowhere to go! You're a pregnant dude- you'll get strange looks and the government will come after you- I won't let you just go out and throw your life away! And- and what if Anti comes looking for you?"

Dark got a pained look, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. "Antithesis... he won't want me near. Why would he? I've been awfully inconsiderate and objectively horrible with him, there's no wonder he'd want to leave the way he did..."

"Why did he leave?" Seán asked, figuring this was something they should discuss. Dark had already mentioned it twice now- it must be important.

Dark met his eyes, squeezing Seán's hand softly. "It... It's easier to show you. Do you mind?"

Seán had no hesitation in shaking his head, and before he knew it he was plunged into a sea of memories. Though the experience wasn't entirely new, Seán still couldn't say he found it pleasant. It was just like the sensation of being possessed- you could only watch someone take control of your soul's vessel, doing things you'd never do, making mistakes that could have been avoided.

This time was no different, it seemed.

He was lying on top of a large bed, shirtless, it seemed. Above him was a familiar face- Anti, but flushed and heated, blood flowing endlessly from his neck, trailing down his seemingly naked body.

Seán was thankful that Dark had been looking up- though he knew this was a very intimate scene, and he knew exactly what was happening, it was a lot easier to focus on what was important when his eyes were averted.

 _"You'll be fine, darling,"_  Dark was saying, looking directly into the glowing green irises that stared down at him worriedly.

_"You're sure about this? I don't... I don't want to mess this up, or-"_

_"Oh, Anti..."_  Dark chuckled breathlessly, and Seán's vision went black. When he could see again, he pieced together that Dark had kissed Anti- the fact was confirmed when Anti seemed to flush a little brighter.

_"You've nothing to worry about- I'm here, and it's just us. I won't judge you for anything you're concerned about, I promise you. Don't you trust me, too?"_

Anti swallowed, still looking nervous.  _"I... okay. Um, so I just...?"_

Dark suddenly closed his eyes and let out a needy moan, and if Seán still had control of his own body he'd have blushed out of discomfort. As a straight male, this scene didn't appeal to him at all, and he was only interested in knowing exactly what had made his alter ego walk away from his unexpected houseguest. The only thing keeping Seán from leaving was the knowledge that this memory was important- there was something here he needed to know.

Something hidden beneath the obvious sex that the two egos were having.

 _"_ Yes _, Anti, just like that..."_

_"Is there... Is there meant to be blood?"_

_"Just keep going, sweetheart, it's okay,"_

_"A-are you sure?"_

_"I'm positive, Anti. I've been with men that are far more likely to break me than you are,"_

_"I... okay,"_

_"Doesn't it feel good?"_

_"Mhm..."_

Seán was ever grateful that Dark's eyes were shut- he didn't think he'd ever need the visual to accompany these sounds. Thankfully, the scene soon shifted, but Seán didn't know what it was that he'd really needed to know from that information. _  
_

Now, he was standing in a fancy looking room, looking at a large group of assembled egos. Seán recognised all of his own- even Tommy Tickler and Clint Powers, who weren't meant to be egos in the first place, but then... well, had Seán made anyone up with the intent of bringing them to life?

Then, there were Mark's egos- though there were too many to count, a few stood out to him. Wilford Warfstache, the most popular- he had his arm around JJ. Seán vaguely remembered Dark letting him know that the two were an item- but it just seemed so strange to him, looking at copies of himself and Mark acting all loved up.

Was this what fanfiction felt like?

Then, he saw a robot that he recognised as Google, the character Mark had made with Matthias. Google seemed to be doing fine, except that he was notably missing an arm, and he looked fairly bored. Next to Google sat Chase, with an ego that Seán assumed was Bing. He looked fairly different to his appearance in Mark's 2017 spoof, but the logo on his chest didn't lie. Chase and Bing were holding hands, the father sitting in the android's lap, both making eye contact with Dark.

Seán shuddered. He knew that some of his egos were dating Mark's- but surely it wasn't  _this_  many...

He decided to tune into what Dark was saying, feeling that that was somewhat more important than just ogling at all of his own creations.

_"It has come to my attention that a select few of you are not heeding my warnings regarding the treatment of one Antithesis- do I have to demonstrate the cost of refusing my will?"_

_"He pulled the knife first!"_ Jackieboy interceded, looking positively livid, staring at someone who stood by Dark's side. It must have been Anti, though Dark didn't spare a glance at him, instead narrowing his eyes at the superhero.

_"But he didn't attack you, did he?"_

_"If I'd given him the chance he would have-!"_

_"No I wouldn't have!"_ Anti interrupted.  _"I-!"_

**_"I don't care for your prejudice, super. If he is threatened once more by_ any  _of you, I will show you just how unforgiving demons can be,"_**

Dark then turned to face Anti, who looked rather upset.

_"What is the matter, my sweet?"_

_"I could have handled that,"_  Anti huffed, glaring at Dark like a teenager who didn't get his own way.  _"I thought you weren't going to baby me anymore,"_

_"Darling, please, it isn't babying. I'm just concerned for your wellbeing,"_

_"But-"_

_"Anti,"_  Dark said, brushing some hair from Anti's forehead and planting a kiss there.  _"It's all resolved now, they won't dare to hurt you again,"_

Anti started to speak, but Dark kissed him on his lips, effectively shutting him up. Seán found the experience strange indeed, considering from his point of view it was like kissing himself. But he pushed that train of thought to the side and watched the scene play out to the end.

_"You know I care for you, right?"_

Anti sighed, smiling, though Seán could see in his eyes that he wasn't really happy at all.  _"Y-yeah, I know..."_

It shifted again.

_"Why don't you ever talk to me?!"_

It looked like night, and Seán was in Dark's bedroom once more, though the scene he was witnessing was hardly as intimate as the last that had taken place here. Anti was standing, crying, knife in his hand and fresh slits littered haphazardly across his forearm. His eyes were brighter than normal, his appearance glitching slightly as he continued to shout.

_"It's like you always know everything about me- things I don't even want you to see, but you never even tell me about you! Don't you trust me? Because I think I trust you too m-much!"_

_"Anti, please-"_

_"Please what?!"_  Anti hissed, holding the knife to his throat.  _"I'll do it, you know! You may know everything about me, but that doesn't mean you own me!"_

Dark was obviously panicked. His vision was patchy, his body rocking unsteadily as if he was going to collapse. Seán couldn't blame him- if he'd walked in on someone close to him holding a knife to their throat and threatening to kill themself, he'd be shocked and upset as well.

 _"Please, don't hurt yourself,"_  Dark urged, voice feeble and cracking slightly.  _"I don't want you to-"_

 _"Oh,_ you _don't want me to? How rich!"_  Anti seethed, eyes flashing. Seán felt chills to his bone as the knife pressed a little deeper, opening the wound in his neck just a little wider.  _"Do you ever think about what_ I _want?!"_

_"Of course I-"_

_"No!"_  Anti scowled, something in his green aura seeming to throw Dark off his feet. The demon stumbled, the sudden view change almost giving Seán a sense of vertigo as Dark struggled to get to his feet.

 _"You_ never  _ask me what I want! You do what you_ think _I want without even checking with me first! I don't want to be your stupid_ pet _! I want to have my_ own _life- not just follow you around and get kicked down by everyone here,_ knowing _I can't defend myself! I just- I just want to be a_ person _!"_

_Anti dragged the blade across his throat harshly, the blood barely even having time to spatter before it disintegrated along with him. Dark blinked a few times, looking at the empty space before him, before letting out a choked sob._

Suddenly, Seán found himself back in his own body, and he blinked several times to make the light spots go away. Dark was sitting there without words, staring down at his lap.

"I'm sorry, Seán, I... I couldn't handle seeing that again,"

Seán didn't know what to say. He could understand both sides here- Anti obviously felt like he was being put down, but Dark thought that this was the best way to protect him. There was an obvious lack of communication between them about their wants, desires, and needs.

Having been a victim of such similar circumstances, Seán's heart reached out to Dark. It was hard maintaining a relationship without a balance- especially when there was so much judgment.

"I'm sorry," Seán said, his mouth dry. "For what happened between you and Anti, I... I wish there was something I could do,"

Dark, for the first time since he'd arrived, smiled. It wasn't a happy smile, per se- but rather a knowing one.

"You're a blessing, Seán. To me and to your viewers. But I'm afraid this matter is between me and my lover, not between me and you. There is little you can do to help, rather than giving me your support on my inevitable journey through the joys of motherhood... fatherhood?"

Seán chuckled despite the dreary atmosphere that the room had developed. "Never quite sure with you. But seriously- I know... um, I know it's not much, but I can give you a place to stay, and I'm sure Mark will know what to do,"

"Mark?" Dark asked, somewhat sadly. "Ah, yes... of course. I had forgotten that he lived in the city of angels."

"What's the matter?"

Dark sighed. "I doubt he'll have forgiven me for my misdeeds against you, despite your insistence that it is fine between us."

"Oh, shit, I forgot about that," Seán swallowed, only just now remembering that he had, in fact, become much more closely acquainted with Dark than he perhaps needed to in May. 

"If only I could do the same," Dark answered, squeezing Seán's hand in reassurance. "I notice you seem to want to take me with you to Los Angeles, but you didn't have two tickets?"

Seán sighed. "I'll book two more as soon as I can, but I'm not leaving you here to fend for yourself- you've got a baby for Christ's sake..."

Dark smiled softly, looking down at his stomach again. "Indeed. Though it may not be the case for you, I know that the day of their birth will be worth every moment of turmoil that I have faced..."

Seán couldn't help but smile in return. "Got any names yet?"

Dark scoffed playfully. "I don't even know their gender, and I'd hardly make a decision without Anti... I only hope he will come for me, though he may want to forget that I even exist... I suppose my disappearance must have made it easier for him."

"Hey, he just needs to blow off some steam," Seán said, despite not entirely believing it. Anti had definitely been shown to hold a grudge for years on end. "He'll come for you, I promise,"

Seán didn't like to make empty promises- he only hoped that Anti would eventually realise that he missed Dark more than he loathed his overbearing nature. He didn't think he could survive until Dark gave birth without Anti- didn't want to see the crestfallen look on the demon's face when he should be overjoyed and ecstatic about the promise of a child.

A child... what was this tale coming to?

Seán didn't know how it would end. All he could do was buckle up and try to enjoy the ride.


	2. Chapter 1

**~Void~**

Dr. Iplier was pacing around his office, each minute passing sending more worry coursing through his veins. The day had been a rollercoaster- Dark had come bursting into the room claiming that he'd missed two periods and something was wrong, and of course the doctors had to cease what they were doing to check on him. They were, after all, the only egos that knew of Dark's female organs in the first place- as well as being the only ones semi-qualified to help him with such matters.

Dr. Iplier recalled the first time Dark had needed his help with something like this- he'd only just come into existence, and there were a few brothers of his own, yet there were no Septiceyes but Anti. Dark had pulled him away from the others and into a separate room, and then he had asked the doctor if he could surgically remove his female reproductive system.

Of course, the doctor had obliged. The demon had taken him in, after all, and it would have been rude to refuse. But once Dark was laid out on the operating table, stripped bare and vulnerable, it became clear that his body couldn't be mutilated- even if he wanted it to be. The scalpel left marks that healed immediately, not letting the doctor get past even the first layer of skin. They'd tried everything- Dark had sat there calmly while Dr. Iplier summoned progressively more dangerous and extreme weapons to try and get to his internal organs, nothing making even a scratch- though the chainsaw almost did the trick.

Eventually, Dark had given up. He'd accepted that he would have to deal with his female body forever, and had conceded to allowing the doctor to run check ups on him every so often to ensure that nothing was wrong.

The doctor had noticed he seemed to be growing weaker in the past few weeks- the manor itself seemed to waver some days like it was a mirage, and he often found Dark sitting when he would usually stand. He knew something was up, but he'd just assumed it had something to do with Anti- after all, the glitch was very high maintenance. Taking care of him and keeping him out of trouble was surely exhausting enough.

But he'd never have thought it was related to Dark's menstrual cycle. That news had certainly come as a surprise. A mildly concerning surprise, albeit.

Before they'd brought out any machines or testing equipment, they'd asked Dark several health related questions to rule out certain diseases and other inhibitions. Truly, this was a new experience for everyone involved- as far as the doctor had been concerned, Dark simply couldn't contract a disease, but he seemed to have all of the symptoms of endometriosis- or perhaps worse, uterine cancer.

"Are you sexually active?" Henrik asked, moving down his checklist. Dark didn't hesitate to nod, not giving any further information regarding the subject. Dr. Iplier was almost inclined to ask who he was with, but the answer was quite obvious. Dark wouldn't sneak around behind Anti's back, after all.

"Does he have any infections, possibly?" Henrik questioned further, also having figured out just who Dark had been sleeping with.

Dark closed his eyes in thought. "I don't think so, doctor. His body is immaterial, after all,"

Henrik made a note of that in his margins, before hesitating, his pen halted on the page.

"How long have you been sexually active, Dark?"

"A little over two months," Dark said, seeming to come to the same conclusion that the doctors had. "You don't think... you don't think it has something to do with Anti, do you?"

"It may," Henrik sighed. "Doc, vhat do you think?"

Dr. Iplier had swallowed uncomfortably. "I'm sorry if this seems invasive, but was the sex you were having anal or vaginal?"

Dark sighed. "Vaginal. I thought it seemed... easier for him to adjust. Less preparation and all. Don't be afraid to ask questions, doctor, please. I'm terribly concerned by how my body is behaving as of late,"

"Have you been bleeding at all?" Henrik asked, pen poised. "Regularly or not?"

Dark swallowed. "The first time... there was a little blood, yes. Irregular. But I haven't bled since, and it's proving quite disruptive to my regular schedule."

"Ve are going to have to test you for infections and diseases, is zat okay?"

Dark nodded with grim determination. "Do what you must, please,"

Dr. Iplier held out his hand, stopping Henrik as he prepared to open a pap smear. "Hen, we should test him for physical signs of cancer or other uterine diseases- that would explain the swelling and abnormal bleeding. The timing could all be coincidental with something greater, and we shouldn't take the risk of waiting for the results of a smear."

Henrik nodded, patting his lover's hand. "Good thinking, Doc. Dark, ve are going to hook you up to ze ultrasound machine und check ze state of your uterine system,"

Dark sighed, but nodded anyway, unbuttoning his shirt. He lay patiently on the bed that Dr. Iplier gestured to as the doctors let their minds fill with predictions of the worst.

If Dark really did have uterine cancer, it was going to be impossible to execute the hysterectomy required to remove the affected organ. Dr. Iplier didn't know if cancer would affect Dark as it affected other humans, but considering his weakness when subjected to whatever was happening, the doctor could only assume it would make him worse over time. He only wished he'd find nothing abnormal on the screen as Henrik smeared some cool gel onto Dark's unusually swollen abdomen.

Dr. Iplier stared at the screen of the ultrasound machine he'd summoned, trying to find something out of the ordinary. So far, all he could see was a mass of blurred grey lines, but as Henrik moved the probe, he found what he needed to see.

Except, why was it  _moving_?

The room then fell silent. Instead of a cyst or any sign of cancer, Dr. Iplier had seen something far more concerning.

A fetus.

"My God..." Dr. Iplier breathed, asking Henrik to hold the probe a little to the left. "Hen, take a look at this, I... I need another opinion to make a proper diagnosis,"

There was just no  _way_  that Dark was pregnant. He had to be seeing things.  _Right?_

Henrik had leaned around, flinching, almost dropping the probe in shock. He held it still as he gawked in surprise at the moving image on the screen before him. It seems that Dr. Iplier wasn't the only one who couldn't believe his eyes.

"What? What's wrong?" Dark asked, somewhat panicked. "What did you find?"

"Dark..." Dr. Iplier started, not knowing quite how to word this. "The... The good news is that you don't have cancer,"

Dark didn't look at all soothed by that prospect, clutching his abdomen softly. "What's the bad news, then?"

"I wouldn't call it  _bad_ , per se," Dr. Iplier swallowed. He looked to his fiance for support, and Henrik spoke up.

"Zere is a fetus growing inside deine vomb, Dark. You are pregnant,"

The air was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Neither doctor knew quite what to say as Dark lay there, eyes wide and trained on the probe touching his skin.

"Pregnant..." Dark uttered as if the word was foreign to him. "Are you certain?"

"Look for yourself," Dr. Iplier urged, moving the screen so that Dark could see just what had the doctors so concerned.

The look of absolute bewilderment that overcame Dark's features was one that Dr. Iplier was sure he'd never quite forget. Dark didn't seem angry or even concerned, he just looked gobsmacked and taken aback. He stared at the screen a little longer than necessary, his eyes shifting slightly from deep black to a dark blue.

"I'm... I'm a little shocked, I apologise," Dark breathed, unable to tear his eyes from the screen.

Dr. Iplier cleared his throat. "If you wish to abort, it isn't too late, but the method-"

"I don't want to abort," Dark cut him off, sitting upright and letting Henrik remove the probe from his skin. "I've taken enough lives, let alone the one of my child,"

"But Dark- I haven't seen a pregnancy take this much of a toll on anyone before," Dr. Iplier urged. "It's a cause for worry- and I understand that this child must be precious to you, but think of the ramifications of keeping it."

Dark's eyes flashed dangerously. "I will not let you harm them, doctor,"

Dr. Iplier swallowed. "I... okay, it's your choice,"

Dark seemed content with that, though his fingers had begun to twitch as if he was eager to be done here. "Thank you. Was it possible to tell how old the child is, or its gender?"

Henrik shook his head sadly. "Vhile glancing at ze head und ze ear, vhich I could clearly see, ze fetus seems to be between zwanzig und sechsundzwanzig Wochen alt. From ze position, I could not determine ze gender."

Dark cocked his head in disbelief. "But... But I've only been active for the last eight weeks, how can-?"

"Ich weiß es nicht," Henrik sighed. "Perhaps ze child simply grows faster zhan a regular human fetus,"

Dark stood, steadying himself with one hand while using the other to button up his shirt. "Thank you, doctors, your help has been invaluable. I must find Anti and tell him this news..."

"Dark, vait!" Henrik called as Dark strode from the room, following the demon into the hall.

That was the last time Dr. Iplier had seen them, and it had been a long ten minutes they'd been gone. He was about to resume his pacing when Henrik appeared as if from thin air before him, steadying himself on the hospital bed. Dr. Iplier rushed over to help him, and the other doctor answered his unspoken question immediately.

"Ze fool has gone to ze Groundlands," Henrik groaned. "I varned him of ze dangers, und hopefully he vill not return until ze baby is born,"

"But-" Dr. Iplier started.

Henrik shook his head. "I von't let him throw away ze life of an innocent kind, mein Schatz. He is to stay zere until zey are born, und zat is final,"

Dr. Iplier bit his lip. "If... If he's gone again, why is the manor still here?"

Henrik looked around curiously. "I imagine zat Vilford had something to do vith it, especially as Dark vas conscious of his veakness. He likely enlisted Vilford to take over so zat he could rest- I don't blame him. Carrying a child is hard vork,"

Dr. Iplier sighed, holding his lover close to him. "It certainly seems so. I just... I just hope he has some sense about him while he's there,"

Henrik smiled softly. "Do not vorry, mein Schatz. Er ist vith Jack, he von't let Dark get into trouble,"

"I hope so," Dr. Iplier muttered, still holding onto Henrik despite the necessity of his touch having passed. Henrik made no move to leave the embrace.

"Me as vell,"

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Why are you following me?"

Blank scowled as he turned around, seeing the man that had been close on his trail flinch in surprise. He certainly looked familiar, Blank could tell. But no names came forth, and Blank decided that he didn't feel like socialising to find out what the weird guy was called.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to impose," he spoke, his voice eloquent. "I just have this sense of deja vu following me when I see your face, and my curiosity is getting the better of me,"

Blank rolled his eyes, though nothing betrayed the movement but the slight pulse of his eyebrows, given that his iris and sclera were both pitch black. "Well, you can stop following me now, I don't know you,"

The man held out a gloved hand, obviously wanting to shake Blank's hand, but Blank wasn't so trusting. He stared challengingly into the man's eyes, but found that he didn't falter.

"I'm Benjamin," he greeted, and Blank could certainly see that name fitting him quite well. "Though I also go by Xyler. What should I call you?"

"I'm Blank," Blank said, cocking his head to the side. "Now you know my name, so fuck off,"

Blank took pleasure in just how affronted the posh looking man seemed at his vulgar language.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I'm in need of finding a man who goes by the name 'Dark', do you have any hints for me as to his whereabouts?"

Blank sighed. "If I tell you where he lives, will you leave me alone?"

"If that will make you happy, then I shall endeavor to take my leave from your presence,"

"That was a yes or no question," Blank huffed. "The manor is this way. You can't miss it- it's all big and creepy looking, with a bunch of dead trees around it. The only building for miles around here,"

"Would you accompany me?"

Blank sighed in frustration. "What, too much of a scaredy-cat to go on your own?"

Xyler bit his lip. For some reason, Blank felt the need to help him on his way.

 _Only so that he would leave me alone_ , Blank reasoned.

"Come on then, you big loser," Blank huffed, grabbing Xyler's sleeve and tugging him in the direction of the manor. "Keep up."

"My thanks to you," Xyler replied, stumbling forward as he tried to match Blank's pacing.

Blank may have agreed to help him out, but that didn't mean he had to be nice about it. Something about the man was charming, in its own way. But Blank refused to fall into the same trap twice. Pretty eyes, a hot body, a few little, lovable quirks- they all led to the same thing. Embarrassment, and segregation.

Blank never thought he'd come by the manor ever again, especially after what had happened there last year. But this time, he swore he'd keep his distance. Being recognised was the last thing he needed.

He felt his hand slip subconsciously into Xyler's own, though the other man paid it no mind. Blank huffed to himself, walking a little faster to conceal his growing blush.

He really needed to stop falling in love at first sight.

**~Groundlands~**

_"Police were called to Laguna Hills early last Thursday to investigate the age old mystery of the murder of Mark Doom, who went missing from his luxury home in California in October of 1935. The actor was best known for his performance in 'Angelica', an arthouse film that grossed over 3.6 million dollars in the box office, but his career came to an abrupt end after the man mysteriously vanished from his manor, his last documented appearance noted as the evening of October 13th, 1935."_

Markiplier yawned a little as the television continued to hum in his ears, the patrons of the bar around him paying the tale no mind as it unfolded. He hadn't made headlines in years- oh, how he'd missed the spotlight. Though the event of his 'death' was placed next to such inferior stories as 'sports' and 'cancer treatment', it was a start.

"Another, if you please," he commanded to the bartender, who was watching him with relentlessly curious eyes.

"You look familiar," the bartender said as he mixed Mark another drink. "You new around these parts?"

Markiplier grinned devilishly. "No, I'm no tourist to California. I've lived here for a long time,"

The bartender didn't seem fazed, sliding the drink over to the ridiculous looking man in what looked like a bathrobe. "You want the tab now?"

Markiplier smirked over his glass. "Come, meet me out the back, good fellow. I seem to have left my wallet in my automobile,"

Markiplier had no intent of paying his tab. His money, after all, had been divided among various charities as stated in his will upon his death, and he was no longer entitled to a cent of it. However, he had a plan to remedy this. He couldn't find his way without money, after all, and what better way to acquire quick cash than murder?

One he and the bartender were away from prying eyes, Mark took out his new switchblade (It had belonged to someone who had been renting his old manor- the man wouldn't be missing it. After all, he was the one who had stumbled upon Mark's 'dead' body, and was likely still in hysterics) and plunged it into the man's side, muffling his cry of pain with his own sleeve. Two more stabs and the man was dead, blood covering the ground and seeping into the bushes outside the establishment.

Markiplier was grateful that he had the cover of night, but after having encountered death, nothing much scared him anymore. He roughly removed the bartender's jacket and trousers, deciding that his robe was simply too inconspicuous to wear in a crowd. He was sure to be recognised, and that would only hinder his plans in the long run.

Shrugging away the robe and wincing slightly as air hit his multiple open wounds, he put on the clothes he'd stolen, pleased to find that the tears made by his blade were barely noticeable, the dark jacket hiding the bloodstain remarkably well. Though he'd soon have to change his clothes again, these would suffice for now.

He kicked aside the dead man and wrapped his old robe around the corpse, glancing around for cameras. Satisfied and holding a new wallet with a decent amount of cash inside, he set course for Los Angeles.

He couldn't wait for this family reunion to finally take place.

 


	3. Chapter 2

**~Groundlands~**

"Sorry, I'm gonna have to cancel lunch tomorrow,"

Seán was picking out a few spare shirts to wear over the next few days, considering that the flight he was packing for wasn't going ahead- for him, anyways. He'd gone online and had booked two tickets for the next flight, which was scheduled two days from now, so it wasn't that much of an inconvenience- but still, he found himself going through his calendar and sorting out which events he could make over which he couldn't.

He'd just gotten off the phone with Robin, not explaining in detail why he couldn't catch his flight, and leaving it up to the man's interpretation. Thankfully, Robin didn't want to pry- he was always content with as much information as Seán wanted to provide. He'd said it was okay for Seán to drop by whenever- at least  _that_ call ended well.

Now, he was on the phone with Mark, who had plans to go out for lunch with him, Amy, and Ethan tomorrow. He was also going to spend the first week or so of his stay at Mark's house, though he didn't want to let anyone but the two of them know that. He knew the rumours would be spreading as soon as his explanation video hit, anyway- whenever 'Jack' and 'LA' were in the same sentence, Septiplier fans would freak out and assume they were organising some kind of secret wedding or something, and confirming that he was going to be in contact with Mark was just going to tip them over the edge.

So he wasn't disclosing any information about where he was staying. Really, it wasn't like the fans even needed to know, was it?

"Wait, why not?"

"Because something came up, and I've had to reschedule my flight," Seán sighed to himself looking down at an old graphic tee. "Nothing major- well, actually, that's a lie,"

"What happened?"

Seán took a deep breath. "I might... I might be bringing someone along with me."

"You and Signe are both coming? Does that mean you're back together now?"

Seán sighed heavily, the fact that Mark couldn't see his emotional upheaval doing nothing to console him. "N-no, Mark, we're not... It's not Signe, it's Dark,"

There was nothing but static on the line for a few seconds. Seán worried his lip between his teeth, tensing when he heard Mark's sigh through the receiver.

"Please," Mark started, " _Please_  tell me you didn't say what I thought you said,"

"Look, Mark, what else was I supposed to do? He has nowhere to go,"

"He hurt you the last time he stayed with you, you can understand why I don't trust him-"

" _Mark_ ," Seán sighed. "You'll be there if something happens, just use that to soothe your worries. Besides, you don't know his motive, and I do. It's all been resolved, and he's in absolutely no state to attempt anything against me, or you for that matter. He's... fragile,"

More silence. Seán was only able to compose himself by knowing that if Mark knew the full story, he'd be even more confused. It was better this way, right?

"...  _Fragile_?"

"Just..." Seán grimaced, dropping the shirt with a sigh. "You'll understand when we get there, okay?"

Mark groaned on the other side of the line. "Just... just text me when you're about to leave, yeah?"

"Of course," Seán hummed. "Bye, Mark."

He reluctantly put his phone down, letting out a breath of annoyance. It wasn't that he didn't trust Dark around Mark- quite the opposite. He knew Mark wouldn't hurt anyone unless they deserved it, but Dark was trying to atone for everything he'd done, and Mark was just  _ignoring_  that. Surely Dark's efforts should be taken into account before his judgment...

Seán looked up when he heard the door open, seeing Dark standing there, looking concerned.

"My suit appears to be... compromised," Dark muttered, holding out his sleeve. It was littered with various light stains- it seemed that the various soaps and detergents Dark had fallen onto earlier hadn't gone out without a fight.

"You can wear something of mine," Seán said with no hesitation, tossing him one of the shirts he was sorting through. Dark smiled gratefully, unbuttoning his own tuxedo and shirt and shrugging them off- and that's when Seán noticed the rather large bump around his pelvis. He couldn't help but stare.

"Is there... a problem?" Dark asked, cocking his head to the side.

"No, no- it's just, how did you not notice that?" Seán chuckled, observing just how much the bump was protruding from Dark's abdomen. Lord knows if he had anything like this happen to him, he'd have figured it out before it got to this state.

Dark looked down, placing his hand above his belly button and keeping it there. "Truthfully, I haven't the slightest. It seems in these matters I am rather unobservant."

"Yeah, no shit," Seán snorted.

"Do you want to feel?"

The Irishman looked up to meet Dark's eyes, seeing something lingering in those black irises that he couldn't quite place. Something akin to mirth, he decided.

_What was the harm?_

"Sure," Seán decided, letting Dark guide his hand to rest on the bump, the grey skin feeling warm to the touch.

"It's like she's sucking all the heat out of ye," Seán grinned, marveling at the fact that there was an actual tiny person beneath his hand. "This is the warmest you've been since I've known you,"

Dark's eyes crinkled as he smiled, his own hand pressing down on his abdomen as well, feeling around as if waiting for a response. "She?"

Seán then remembered that the gender of the baby was actually unknown- perhaps he'd passed too many mpreg fanfics on the internet lately. They always seemed to end in a female child being born- it was like baby boys weren't cute to the mass of fangirls that read them. He shrugged. 

"Seems like a she,"

Then, he felt something pushing against his hand- like a little fist, but muffled beyond recognition. His eyes widened, and he pressed just a little harder, trying to get the child's attention again.

"She's kicking," Dark breathed, fingers trailing across his skin fondly. "Oh dear, I suppose she's been trying to get my attention all this time... I'd just thought it was new relationship nerves,"

Another kick, this time a little more forceful. Seán let out a bark of laughter.

"Sounds like she didn't like that,"

Dark met Seán's eyes with a smile, looking more relaxed than Seán had ever seen him. "Thank you again, Seán."

Seán waved away his thanks- honestly, how could anyone hold a grudge against someone who apologised so profusely and so genuinely? 

"Don't mention it, man. We're cool."

Dark then pulled the shirt up, over his head, and tried to wriggle it over his bump. He almost succeeded, save for the small amount of skin he was showing where the shirt rode up. He looked down at it with a small sigh.

"That's gonna be hard to hide at the airport," Seán frowned. "You think you could pass it off as a beer belly?"

"Perhaps," Dark uttered. "Though there is a much easier option that I'm sure you will agree is better."

"What is it?" Seán asked, raising an eyebrow.

Dark smiled softly. "Tell me, Seán, have you ever ventured into the maternity section of a clothing store?"

**~Void~**

Yandereplier looked up at the manor with an overwhelming ache in his heart. He'd just arrived in the Void again after his evident death, and after taking a few moments to adjust, he'd sat down and stayed there.

He'd been thinking. He'd like to say he was thinking about many things, but the one thing that continually crossed his mind was Marvin. What did he do after Yan had died? Did he miss Yan? had he been upset at all? Or did he go about his days without even thinking of the red haired schoolboy? Considering the fight they'd had just seemingly hours ago, it certainly seemed Marvin was glad to be rid of him...

 _Of course he misses me_ , Yan tried to tell himself.  _I was his boyfriend for over a year... surely that means something, right?_

Yan just wasn't sure. And even worse, he wasn't sure if he really wanted to see Marvin without knowing what to expect. It could either go splendidly or horrifically, and Yan just didn't want to take that chance.

He sniffled, trying to hold back his tears as he rested his back against a tree- he wasn't sure when the tree had appeared, but there was no mistaking the feeling of hard wood pressing into his shoulders. He let out a long sigh.

Life had been so much simpler when he hadn't had emotions. Before he'd fallen for Marvin. Before he'd let himself become so...  _vulnerable_

Yan shuddered.

"You having doubts about your love life too, huh?"

Yan didn't even flinch at the sound of his killer's voice, closing his eyes and huffing.

"Go away, Anti, leave me alone."

Anti frowned, looking down at the schoolboy with disappointment. "I was trying to reach out to you, you know?"

Yan gritted his teeth, refraining from summoning a blade. He only killed for Senpai. "You killed me. You killed me, and took my Senpai from me for God knows how long, why should I want to listen to you?"

Anti sat beside him, his skin touching Yan's just barely, drawing his knees to his chest. Yan could see that for whatever reason, he didn't have his knife with him. Yan supposed he must have left it buried in some other poor soul's heart.

"You were trying to kill me, remember?" Anti asked as if it was obvious.

Yan huffed in return, shifting so that he wasn't making contact with the glitch any longer. "You tried to hurt Marvin."

"Yes," Anti admitted, not even sounding ashamed. "I did. You of all people should know why."

There was a tense silence. Yan considered summoning a knife to pick his nails, but decided that Anti may see it as a threat. Yan very much liked being alive, and now that he was back, he didn't plan on leaving anytime soon.

"I did kill him, after you were out of the way,"

Yan saw red, flinching, his hands balling into fists. "You  _what_?!"

Anti rolled his eyes. "We've moved past it, now. I see no reason to keep bringing up the battles of the past,"

"I sincerely doubt that Marvin's forgiven you," Yan sighed. "He's just... not the type,"

"Dark didn't give him a choice," Anti stated matter-of-factly.

Yan scoffed. "Right. And why are you here, huh? Didn't Dark kill you when he turned up, for what you did to all of us?"

Anti hummed softly, picking at grass that had risen around their feet. "No. I wish he had,"

"But what happened then?"

Anti looked pained as his glowing eyes met Yan's deep chocolate ones. "I... I let him have his way with me... it hurt even worse than death. Knowing that I loved him, he... he used me. He never loved me in return. He... he couldn't if he wanted to..."

Yan sniffed a little. "Serves you right, you fucking ass,"

Anti grimaced, clenching his own fists in retaliation. "I was here trying to comfort you, you know?!"

"Yeah, I don't need your stupid comfort," Yan growled. "I don't care if you have a half-baked apology from Marvin, I don't need to forgive you for what you've done to him,"

"Well it's a good thing that I don't really care for your forgiveness," Anti snarled. "I didn't even come looking for you- you're just in the way! I clearly can't help you so why don't you just run back home to wizard boy, huh? I bet he'll forgive you  _instantly_ ,"

"Shut up!" Yan hissed, getting to his feet. "I was here first!"

"Like hell you were!" Anti retorted. "I've been staking this place for the last week! I didn't plan on having anyone here, let alone  _you_!"

"Well I-!" Yan started furiously.

"Stop!"

Both head turned to see two figures rushing towards them- well, one was rushing towards them, the other seemed to want to distance himself as much as possible from the coming confrontation.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Anti questioned, looking at the forward one first. He had curly hair and blue eyes, his suit similar to that of a butler. The other had a hood and blue hair, and Anti couldn't make out his face.

"I am Xyler," the butler introduced. "Not that it concerns you- but I must implore you to cease this argument before one of you is direly hurt!"

The other newcomer rolled his black eyes, placing a hand on Xyler's shoulder reluctantly. Yan let out a little gasp.

"Let them be, Xy, they're not-"

"Blank, is that you?"

The hooded man seemed to shrink a little into his clothes, his cheeks reddening. "Y-Yan... hey. Um... uh, bye-"

"Oh no you don't-" Yan interrupted, grabbing Blank by the arm. "I haven't seen you in ages! Why'd you run off like that? King was so upset when you left- good God, where have you been?!"

"You  _know_  these guys?" Anti exclaimed.

"Blank used to date Squirrels," Yan filled in, while Blank looked as if he wanted to melt away.

"Wait... someone actually used to  _like_ Squirrels?" Anti asked, head cocked to the side. "But he's so weird and peanut-y all the time, why'd you-?"

Blank, it seemed, really  _had_  melted away. Where he'd previously been standing, there was nothing to indicate he'd even been there at all. Xyler looked mildly terrified.

"Oh my... does he often do that?"

"I don't even know who that  _is_ ," Anti huffed. "Can someone please fill me in?"

Yan groaned aloud. "Don't you know anything, asshat?!"

Anti was about to retort, but Xyler brought his hand down on the glitch's shoulder fiercely. There was a strange fire in his eyes that Anti didn't know what to make of, but he decided he didn't want to test the man's patience.

"Calm yourselves gentlemen, please!" Xyler urged. "Seeing as my guide has somehow disappeared, I will require assistance in getting to the house of Darkiplier,"

Anti stiffened. "Hey, wait, why'd you want to-?"

"It's that way," Yan huffed, still glaring at Anti. "Don't think this is over, glitch bitch,"

Anti bared his teeth and mimed slitting his throat. "Why don't  _you_  back off for once? I'll take the guy to see Dark- I'm the  _pet_ , it's my job,"

Yan growled in frustration. "I need to get back to Marvin anyway- don't you  _dare_  follow me-"

"Gentlemen!" Xyler called, effectively silencing the other two egos. "Please, set your differences aside and direct me to my destination, it is dire that I arrive promptly!"

Anti glanced once more at Yan, who looked away in defiance.

"Fine," Anti spat. "Hurry up,"

As Xyler followed the unlikely pair of egos, he couldn't help but wonder how exactly Blank had just  _vanished_. Though he had seen quite a few strange instances in his long life, he'd never seen anything quite like  _that_. And why had he gone so soon? Was he embarrassed by the red haired man who looked exceedingly like his old master, down to a T? Why? Surely everyone else here had already heard that story.

Was it possible that he didn't want Xyler to know about his previous love interest?

And, if that was the case, why?

Xyler didn't know what to think about his newest acquaintance, but he had to push the stirring of his chest aside for now. He had important news that his old friend Dark would want to hear- news that would probably distress him, knowing that the man they'd thought was dead and gone was walking among the living again.

He stayed quiet and let them lead him on his way. He really needed to find his own way around this seemingly endless Void of darkness.

**~Groundlands~**

_'And in more recent news, a couple that found themselves the center of media attention last Thursday due to their discovery of the body of missing actor Mark Doom have been released from intensive care, still in shock over the event that took place in their destination honeymoon home. The estranged actor has been missing since October 1935, and while the police force had declared him dead within several years of his disappearance, his body was never found. That all changed when the couple entered the home to see the very corpse we've been searching for the last eighty some years- but the circumstantial evidence just doesn't add up. We have esteemed Forensic Investigator Terry Allen here in the studio tonight to discuss the strange disappearance and stranger reappearance of Mark Doom."_

Markiplier considered changing the channel, but decided against it- after all, any word about him was good word, right?

A short looking, balding man took the focus of the camera, and Mark scoffed. They'd let anyone on the screen these days, wouldn't they? Where was the drama? The romance? The action that the audience had so clearly craved back in the roaring twenties? Surely the children of these times weren't watching that ridiculous muppet show still- surely they had come to appreciate the culture that proper films brought to society...

_"What are your findings, Terry?"_

_"Well you see, it's common knowledge that human bodies begin to decompose fairly quickly after brain death- that's just common, common knowledge, you see. Ideally, you wouldn't need a scientist like myself to uh, to figure out the corpse, you know, it's- it's just dead, but uh, this case was different to any others I've taken on in the past, Sherry. See, the body was found in a very peculiar manner- you see, it was sprawled out as if it had fallen, but with the ceiling only three meters high, there was no recreation possible that could have indicated such a spreading of the limbs naturally. And, uh, not only that but you'd expect a body of, of a century old by now to have somewhat decayed in the time passed, but the body was fresh. The uh, the temperature when measured rectally was twelve degrees, which was slightly below the measured ambient temperature, which uh, indicated that he had indeed been dead for a while, and the body found was so destroyed, so_ mangled _\- you know, you know it had stab wounds, and marks around the neck where it was supposed he'd been strangled, and a gun shot wound above his abdomen, like- this body was dead, but there was no way this was the body of Mark Doom,"_

_"So you came to the conclusion that it wasn't really Mark Doom's corpse, then?"_

_"Well you see, uh, it looked exactly like him, and you can't- you can't perform plastic surgery so efficient, so well that it mimics the exact appearance of a man that died almost a hundred years ago- not only that, but there were no scars on the body to show that any- any external changes had been made, so naturally we were stumped for a while, trying to determine who the body actually belonged to because as you know, we were convinced the identity of the man wasn't what they had claimed it was originally,"_

_"And what did you find?"_

_"Well we were going through the files, you know, as we do- missing persons, looking for people who were a similar height, when one of our coworkers joined the scene and recognised the man immediately as uh, as an internet personality that was quite popular with her young kids, and you know, she pulled up a picture and you know what? He looks_ just _like Mark Doom, down to the name- this man, you see here- this is a man who goes by his online pseudonym 'Markiplier', which you'll notice is the very same code name Doom used in his second most famous film; 'Beyond the Forest'- so we at first pondered the idea that this was all staged. I mean, with the evidence we'd gathered earlier, it was clear that the murder was orchestrated, so the first thing we did was to check in with Mark Fischbach- you know, to see that he wasn't, uh, the victim- but he was fine, he in fact had no idea of the murder even happening, so we left him to his business and came back to the drawing board,"_

_"So we've just recieved news that the body has been taken from the O'Connor Mortuary- do you have any possible leads or answers for this?"_

_"Well we've checked with the morgue and they have no recorded CCTV footage from the hours of six through to nine, so the body was definitely moved within those hours, but aside from that, I can't say we do Sherry, I uh, I wish there was more that we could tell you but we only had the body for a short while before it was gone. If there's anyone out there who can give us any leads or uh, or any ideas as to where the body has gone, it would help the investigation a lot,"_

_"Thanks Terry, it's been a pleasure,"_

Markiplier rolled his eyes, turning off the television and stretching his legs as he stood. He adjusted his jacket and took his wallet, picking up his hotel room key on his way out. He needed more cash- things were so much more expensive in this era, and Mark had barely enough to stay one night in this semi-decent hotel not far away from the mortuary he'd escaped from. He missed the days where you could buy a top of the range automobile for a few hundred dollars- these days, even the ones that looked like they'd been slapped together carelessly sold for over 30 grand.

He looked around carefully before heading out, getting the elevator to take him to the roof. There, he'd find his next paycheck. Smoothing his clothes and changing his once iconic hairstyle, he stepped out and sauntered to the bar.

Hours later, he was back in his hotel room, but he was not alone. No, beneath him was a woman- her face generic and her eyes brown, but she reminded him of a love he'd left behind. She'd sauntered over to him, flashed him some wild eyes, and spilled some nonsense about how handsome he was- Mark had instantly felt a connection. He'd let her lead him to his room, watching the swish of her hips and the way her dress had ridden up when she'd stood from her seat with hungry eyes. 

She'd attached her red lips to his neck without hesitation, slamming the door shut behind them and shoving him onto the bed, and the rest was history.

Mark closed his eyes as he grunted through his second orgasm, wishing for the woman his cousin had stolen away from him all those years ago. Celine, with her raven hair and deep brown eyes, her charm and her gentle lilt. She'd never been the same after Will had taken her, and Mark had noticed it in each and every time she shied away, every time she flinched, every time her eyes had shifted as if she was doing something wrong and she  _knew_  it.

Mark gritted his teeth, pushing a little harder despite the somewhat disconcerting squeals and pleas of the woman beneath him. He had to get the Colonel out of his mind before he did something he'd regret- everything about the man who'd stolen his most valuable possessions, his wife and his money, filled him with rage that had never quite diminished over the years.

Mark growled, feeling uncomfortably warm in his own corpse. Having Damien's body had served him well- though he was constantly bleeding through his clothes, that is. It was more important to Mark that his vessel had a pretty face than his vessel being free of external wounds. Otherwise, he'd have hit the mayor in the head, or strangled him to death. That would have been easier to explain away, in hindsight.

It was a shame that Damien's body had burned away in the fire.

But this body was broken, so broken in fact that it was a marvel the woman hadn't noticed his thirty eight stab wounds, let alone the bullet hole in his stomach. She was drunk, and tasted like whiskey when Celine had always preferred red wine. It was another one of those small differences that Mark didn't want to focus on, knowing that he was doing his long lost love injustice by participating in this act, but something he couldn't help but notice as he shared open mouthed kisses full of passion with the unnamed woman.

But it made him remember, oh how it made him remember...

"S-stop," she groaned through her whines of pleasure. "Can't- can't... breathe!"

Mark only thrust harder, deeper, wishing to bury his own pitiful sorrows in this brief moment of weakness. What would Celine think of him now?

She whimpered a few more times, but then fell silent, limp around him, muscles contracting one final time before her body became still. The only. As Mark finished for the third time straight, he was beginning to feel woozy. He collapsed next to the woman, cuddling up to her warmth and pretending Celine was here with him, like nothing had ever happened- like William had never returned from war, and like he'd never let her go.

"We can have children, babe..." Mark uttered, kissing down the woman's unmoving shoulder. "We'll have a life together, me and you... Celine..."

She didn't respond. It would take Mark several hours to notice that she was dead- that her heart had stopped, and that her once radiant cheeks were now paler than his own. He'd wake up to her cold, dead hands and he'd remember that he should be wherever she was now, briefly taking the time to mourn his own lack of mortality before taking her wallet and jewelry, leaving the hotel without looking back.

Some people, he didn't mean to kill. But when comparing death to the sham of a life he was upholding, he felt somewhat envious of his victims. He willed the cameras to wipe his image, thanking the lady at the receptionist desk on his way out of the Fairfield hotel. There was no use aching for a death he'd wanted for the last eighty-six years, not when he had a vengeance to settle.

Perhaps, after all of this, he'd be free again. Free to be judged, and to move to whatever afterlife God had planned- though even Hell seemed a better place than Earth these days.

Hours later, when her body was found in her room, Mark would be miles away on a bus heading to Los Angeles. Hopefully that was the last innocent life he'd take on this journey to destroy the last of his legacy.

Hopefully, when he killed his grandson, he wouldn't be on this planet to answer for it. Hopefully, destroying the one who'd kept his story alive would finally put his soul to its long awaited rest.


	4. Chapter 3

**~Void~**

Blank clutched his chest as he breathed heavily, his heart racing and his cheeks red with embarrassment. He knew he shouldn't have agreed to take Xyler to the manor- he knew someone would remember him and call him out for leaving last year, but he hadn't really had a choice at the time, not that he'd let anyone there know about it  _now_. This wasn't the first time he'd ignored something serious in favour of another ego- and this wasn't the last time he'd regret it, clearly.

Sighing, Blank pulled at his own hair in frustration. This wasn't  _fair_. Why did something always have to happen that stopped him from doing something he loved? Why did he let himself get enthralled by people he knew would be trouble?

Why couldn't he get Xyler's image out of his mind?

His eyes were so pure, so nice and sweet and everything Blank's weren't, and his hair was stunning, and those lips...

Blank growled to relieve some of his stress. It would come to pass with avoidance, he knew. It wasn't healthy, but nothing he did ever seemed to be healthy in the first place. Though if he could have died because of his anaphylaxis, he'd have been long gone after a single kiss from his ex...

But instead of bringing his death, his peanut allergy had settled for ruining his social life. He'd been overcome with rashes, swelling, redness that spread from his face to his toes, and everywhere else he'd let himself be touched.

He'd loved King once- loved his compassionate nature, and his adoration of animals, and all of his pets that Blank had named when they were together. The way he laughed at Blank's self deprecating jokes, and the way that he'd given Blank his robe when the younger ego was cold. Their soft kisses and smooth touches, their peaceful embraces as they sat by a warm fire, exchanging comments about their fellow egos.

Sometimes Blank felt that some part of him still longed for the affection, though his body resented him for it.

It had been nice while it lasted. Sure, Blank had never felt less able to breathe, but it had been better than living alone like he did now. He'd never actually told King about his allergy- he never really even spoke to the ego again after he left, actually. Blank was just too nervous to go back- too afraid that he'd fall for those caring eyes again, even though their very existence and apparent purpose in this Void was to repel each other.

He didn't know if he could handle it if his allergy seized up again.

One shuddered breath after the other. One blink after the next.

What was going to happen when he finally calmed down? Should he go back?

And even if he should...  _would_ he?

Blank had no faith in his own chivalry, knowing he'd rather save his own skin than save another's, knowing he'd do anything to avoid going back and facing his fears. But Xyler had brought him out of his fears, if only for a short while. With Xyler, Blank almost felt able to enter the manor again. With Xyler, Blank felt like he could put his own problems to the side in favour of helping someone who needed him.

_What is_ wrong  _with me? I can't fall in love again, I_ can't _..._

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Here it is," Anti sighed, gesturing to the manor before them. He didn't know whether he wanted to come back or to run again, his feelings about Dark still mixed up from the week before. He knew he still loved the demon- heck, he probably always would. But that didn't mean he wanted to be so  _restricted_. He'd thought Dark would understand, but the demon only facilitated his removal from the others, insisting upon it when a problem was beginning to arise.

Why couldn't he confine any of his siblings away, when they were the cause?

"Come on Xyler," Yan gulped, stepping forward. "Dark'll be in here-"

"Not to pry," Xyler interrupted, looking between both egos curiously. "But why do you two seem so reluctant to be here? I understand Dark can be... difficult sometimes, but surely he isn't a tyrant,"

Yan quickly shook his head. "N-no, I... um, it's my boyfriend. We... we had a fight, and I don't know where we stand yet, it's not Dark,"

Anti huffed under his breath, "Speak for yourself, Dark's definitely the reason I'm reluctant to be here."

"Yeah, from what you were babbling about earlier it seems we have the same problem," Yan retorted. "Whatever you're worried about, I'm sure it's nothing. Dark couldn't hate you if he tried,"

Anti rolled his eyes, but stayed silent. Xyler shook his head.

"Forgive me for asking, comrades. We will continue forthwith,"

Yan knocked on the door with dainty fingers, stepping back in case someone threw the door open (Robbie had the habit of getting overexcited by the prospect of new friends). Thankfully, it was another Iplier that answered- Bim, and he looked rather tense. Yan cocked his head to the side, about to ask what was wrong, when Bim quickly shook his head.

Odd.

"We're home." Yan stated instead, and Bim nodded grimly.

"Right, Marvin's in your room. He's been... well, it's best you see for yourself..."

Yan nodded quickly, rushing upstairs without sparing the other egos a glance. They supposed they should be thankful. Having Yan's attention over Marvin never usually turned out particularly well for them.

Anti fixed Bim with a half hearted glare, daring him to say something about Dark. Bim merely looked away, holding the door open wider and beckoning the two remaining egos inside.

"So sorry my fellow, it seems we haven't yet been introduced," Xyler said, reaching out to shake Bim's hand. "I'm Xyler- though others know me by the name Benjamin, and I was once a butler in the manor of Mark Doom,"

Bim just raised an eyebrow. "I... okay. I suppose you're looking for Dark? That's what all new egos want to do, anyway,"

Xyler seemed confused. "Pardon sir, but... this is the second time this eve that I have been referred to as an 'ego'. I assure you, I am a man,"

"We're all men," Anti interjected. "But we're also not entirely human. The fact that you managed to get here in the first place indicates that you're not human either. At least, not a normal human."

Xyler gulped. "But gentlemen, I was born and I lived in the human world, with human parents. How is it that I came to exist here as someone non-mortal?"

Anti shrugged. "Sounds like a Wilford problem,"

"Yeah, I'll get him for you," Bim offered, about to leave the foyer. Anti cleared his throat, trying not to seem too eager to return to his lover's embrace, and Bim turned to fix him with a curious stare.

"I thought you were going to take him to Dark," Anti said pointedly. He certainly didn't expect Bim to sigh, straightening out his suit.

"Dark is gone," Bim informed them. "I thought you knew- he's been missing since yesterday. Wilford's losing his mind trying to keep this joint in order in his absence,"

Anti's heart lurched in his chest as he flinched at the news, staring at Bim with wide, unbelieving eyes.

"H-He's gone? Where?"

Bim was about to answer, when a deep voice rang out from the top of the staircase.

"Anti! Is that you, m'boy?"

Anti couldn't meet Wilford's carefree and celebratory demeanour as the pink haired ego strolled down the stairs, patting him on the back. Unseen to either of them, Xyler visibly tensed in recognition.

"Will," Anti greeted. "Is Dark really... really gone?"

Wilford grinned, annoying Anti as the glitch realised just how much Wilford didn't understand the implications of Dark leaving.

"Yes- it has come to pass, but don't worry! It will all be fine, and you'll be able to talk to him again in no time, chap,"

"Where did he go?" Anti asked through gritted teeth.

"He's living in the Groundlands,"

Three heads whipped around to see the two resident doctors striding towards them, Schneep reaching out to pull the reluctant glitch into a hug.

Dr. Iplier, who had spoken, cracked a small smile. "There is important, yet happy news to give you, Anti. May I request a meeting with you? It's your right to know, after all, about Dark's condition,"

Anti's eyebrows furrowed worriedly. "Condition? What-?"

Wilford chortled loudly, slapping Anti on the back again. "Go on up, Anti, it's nothing terrible!"

Anti raised a questioning eyebrow. "Why does he know?"

Schneep sighed. "Ve did not disclose ze information to ihn, Anti. He simply knows things he sometimes should not,"

Wilford winked, and when Anti left, Xyler finally found the courage to speak up.

"Colonel? I assume that to be you?"

Wilford turned hastily, eyebrows raising exaggeratedly as he realised just who was standing before him. "Jim? No, not Jim, it's... it's Tom, right?"

Xyler shook his head. "No sir, it seems that your memory has been compromised. My name is Benjamin, though I am also known by the name 'Xyler' recently for reasons I cannot comprehend. I must say, though we have had our differences, it is reassuring to see a familiar face in this strange realm,"

Wilford grinned. "Ben! I knew I recognised you! My, you don't look a day over twenty- how's the family?"

Xyler struggled to hold back the slew of angst and emotional distress he was ready to pile upon Wilford, knowing that the death of his parents was hardly the Colonel's fault.

"Dead," Xyler mourned. "Killed during the second world war- both worked in the military, you see."

"Ah, they were brave souls," Wilford sighed. "I remember serving in the armed forces... I was their best man by far. Every time they tried to shoot me down, I'd get back up as if nothing had happened at all. But some are not so lucky..."

"Indeed not," Xyler agreed, pushing his grief aside. He'd spent long enough mourning for those who had passed in his lifetime, watching as everyone he associated with grew senile and weak while he remained just as young as ever.

"Ah, but we should let the dead be dead," Wilford mused. "What brings you here, friend?"

"I'm afraid I must request an urgent meeting with Dark," Xyler informed, "Something terrible has come to pass at the manor that I'm afraid he is the only one who can stop. Your cousin, my old master, he's... he's back."

Wilford scratched idly at his chin. "Again? My, he just can't take a hint, can he? Well, if you need my help to put the old lad down once again, I'd be well up for the privilege,"

Xyler shook his head in mild annoyance- it seemed some people really didn't change. "No, Colonel. You have done enough in this case, and it is Dark whom I need to speak with. Can you inform me as to when he will return here?"

Wilford shrugged. "Well you can usually tell in these circumstances, but Dark's an odd case. Anywhere in the next two to five months would be my best guess, but then he may wish to rest after the ordeal, poor fellow, and-"

" _Months_?" Xyler asked, astonished. "What on Earth is the man doing that requires him to be away for so long? This matter simply cannot wait- you know as well as I that Mark was dabbling with evil, he's even more dangerous now that he's back. He's been all over the news channels!"

Wilford grimaced in annoyance. "He always was too self absorbed- but I'm afraid Dark couldn't be here if he even wanted to. You see, my friend, Dark is-"

"He's  _PREGNANT?!_ "

**~Groundlands~**

"You ready?"

Dark looked up from her lap to see Seán holding out a hand, ready to help her up and off the seat. They were at the airport now- Seán had been approached by some few fans that had all asked who Dark was and if they were together, but Seán had waved them off from that train of thought with reassurances that he wasn't looking to have a child any time soon. No mention of Signe. No mention of the breakup. The fans didn't even think to ask.

After they got their pictures and autographs, and with a few congratulations to 'Diane', which was Dark's false persona, they'd left the Irishman and the demon alone to their own devices.

Dark was in her female form, deciding that her baby bump was simply too inconspicuous to hide as a male. She'd dressed in maternity clothes that Seán had bought at a local Target, and she felt much more free without the constant burden of her restricting suit. The dress was a nice deep blue, and it matched her eyes as she smiled, accepting Seán's assistance as she got to her feet.

It seemed that once she'd discovered she was pregnant, she felt the weight of it more than ever.

"Ready," Dark swallowed. She'd never much liked planes. "We have seats next to each other, yes?"

"Yep," Seán agreed, keeping hold of Dark's hand and holding his suitcase with the other. He wasn't bringing much, knowing that he'd be able to sustain himself in Los Angeles just fine, especially with the new merch dropping soon. "You... alright?"

Dark sighed as they began to get lost in a crowd of people, all heading towards the gate. "I must confess, I... I don't like heights. I am very much more comfortable on the ground,"

Seán shuddered. "Me too, man, I'm terrified of heights,"

Dark smiled beneath her grimace. "Anti loves air travel. I can't understand it myself, but then, I suppose he hates the ocean when it's my favourite place to wind down..."

Seán nodded in agreement. "Yeah, fuck the sky. The sea's where it's at,"

"Agreed," Dark grinned, letting the attendants scan her ticket before they stopped her and one of them took the pair aside.

"What seems to be the problem?" Seán asked worriedly.

The attendant shook his head, waving away their concerns. "No problems, sir, I was just wondering how far along the missus is?"

Dark met Seán's eyes nervously. They'd discussed how strange the circumstances of Dark's pregnancy were, given that he wasn't even sexually active at the estimated time of conception. They would have given a simple answer and then moved along, but Seán figured they needed to keep the story straight in case anything escaped to the media.

"Three months," Dark replied coolly, though she gave the attendant a kind smile.

The attendant grinned in return. "I'm happy for you. My wife and I have been trying for a baby for the last year or so, but we've had little success,"

Dark stepped forward, slowly hugging the attendant. Seán's eyes widened. He'd never seen Dark willingly engage in an affectionate touch before.

"Try again," Dark urged. "I'm sure you'll have a child one day,"

The attendant grinned as they made to enter the plane, waving at them. Seán fixed Dark with a curious stare as they found their seats and buckled themselves in.

"What was that?"

Dark blinked a few times, before sighing. "I had forgotten that demons in this era are viewed as creatures of malice... no, it was demons who brought the first gifts to humanity, as well as the first flames of disharmony. It's just that the powers that be wish for demons to be removed from the grand scheme of human activity. It's nothing, Seán, I just blessed the man with enhanced fertility. He will have a child soon, I am certain of the fact,"

"That was... very nice of you," Seán commented, still grasping Dark's hand in his own. He'd have pulled away, but he was fairly sure that they'd be clinging to each other again once they were actually taking off, and he didn't really see the point in disconnecting just yet.

Dark chuckled. "Once, I was a nice person. And that message, Seán, comes from every fiber of my being."

_ 'I hate planes...' _

_'I as well, Celine, trust me, but what other choice do we have?'_

_ 'I know we need to stay near  _ _Seán, Damien, but we could easily have gone by yacht...'_

_'How much money do you think he_ has _?'_

_ 'Enough to fly first class, apparently,' _

_'Either way, we cannot avoid air travel. If you are amicable, we could close our eyes,'_

_ 'My eyes aren't going to open again until we touch the ground, Damien!' _

_'Now I see why Mark left you behind at the manor whenever he had to film... the prospect of travelling with you in this state is certainly unnerving,'_

_ 'Oh hush, Damien, you whimpered like a child whenever mother and father brought you with them to Venice via plane,' _

_'I must admit that to be true... I hope that the turbulence does not affect our child negatively,'_

_ 'I've got no doubt they're as energetic and reckless as your boyfriend, they'll probably enjoy this.' _

_'I hate to entertain that idea...'_

_ 'I know.' _

Dark gritted her teeth and her grip tightened on Seán's hand as the plane took off, neither making any attempt to recoil. In twelve long hours, they'd have to face Mark and tell him everything about the pregnancy, the fact that Dark and Anti were involved, and maybe even the reality that most of Mark's egos and Seán's egos were together as well. But that was then.

For now, both acrophobics were quite happy to put in ear plugs and try to forget just how high they were flying.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_'And in other news, 32 year old woman Carly Davis was found dead in her hotel room this morning after the hotel's cleaners entered the room to prepare it for new guests. Miss Davis' key had been handed in the night before, and it was presumed she had left the building, but that conclusion evidently could not have been more wrong. It was originally determined that the widow had died from a heart attack in her sleep, but upon closer investigation it was concluded that she had been engaging in sexual relations at the time of her death. The man seen handing in her room key the night of her death is the prime suspect, and if anyone has any leads regarding his whereabouts or motive they are urged to give their information to the authorities,'_

_I'm not a killer... I'd never... I'd never kill her... I'd never kill anybody unless they deserved it..._

Markiplier took a deep swig of the bottle of unnamed spirits as he turned off the television, rolling over in his bed. It had been a long day of masking his trail, moving north and trying to book somewhere that wasn't completely stuffed with celebrities and upper class citizens. He refused to settle for a place with a rating below four stars- he may be dead, but he still had standards.

He didn't care for the weak-minded tools that the media called talented these days- oh, what a joke! Those children couldn't act to save their lives, and their films and movies were lazily edited and lacking drive. Even the adults couldn't rely on carefully crafted props and artwork to make their films memorable, instead favouring the ever advancing digital manipulation, that made the work of the cameraman utterly useless.

But then, he supposed that something must be better about them, given their millions and millions in revenue. Perhaps he was just too old fashioned to appreciate the newest generation in the film industry.

It didn't matter. His films weren't on 'Netflix' or 'Stan', and they were considered utterly irrelevant in this era. His lifelong dream of becoming a famous actor, dashed before his eyes.

He took another drink.

_I wouldn't have killed her... I wouldn't have killed Celine..._

But he would, and he had, and he  _knew_  it. That's why it hurt so much.

"I don't deserve this," Mark grimaced, setting his bottle down shakily. "I didn't deserve any of this... not the Colonel stealing my wife, or my fortune, or my dignity... how dare he? How dare he?!"

There was a mildly annoyed knock at his door. He groaned heavily, getting to his feet.

"Sir, it's me again! I'm going to have to ask you to leave, you're disturbing the rest of the guests with your shouting,"

Mark muttered several obscenities under his breath, wrenching the door open and looking upon the young man with a drunken look of contempt. The boy defiantly glared back at him, beginning to move on his way, when Mark grabbed him by his shoulders and shoved him into the closest wall. The boy's eyes rolled back as he fainted, crumpling to the ground without another word.

That would cease his yapping.

Mark yawned as he staggered back into his room, collapsing onto his bed without turning his light off. His headache was only growing with every denial of his actions, every moment without repentance bringing him splitting pain. But he wouldn't repent.

No, he'd carry on with this plan like it was the last thing he'd ever do.

And if he had his way? It would be.


	5. Chapter 4

**~Void~**

Yan stopped just outside the door, listening in to find out what exactly Marvin was doing. It didn't seem like much, whatever it was- at least he wasn't in bed with another ego. Yan would hate for there to be blood on their sheets this early into his new start.

He gulped, knocking softly on the door, his mind spinning insecurities . He heard a groan from the inside.

"Tommy, I told you I'm not making you a-"

Marvin had opened the door mid-rant, expecting to find the annoyingly energetic salesman he called his brother there for the third time this morning, but what greeted him instead made his heart do a flip in his chest.

Red hair, short skirt, his feet shifting nervously and his eyes gleaming in the light. Yandereplier fiddled with the end of his necktie, warily meeting Marvin's cat-like eyes with the air of uncertainty.

Marvin couldn't breathe. He flushed, but his mask hid it from view.

"Hi..." Yan greeted, offering Marvin his hand. The magician took it, not shaking it but rather letting it sit there, encompassed in his own. He shivered at the touch, having missed it for so long.

"Y-You're back," Marvin uttered, before mentally bashing himself over the head. Wow, that was stupid. Of course he was back!

Yan smiled nervously, not making an effort to take his hand back, but not furthering the touch as he normally would. It was clear that he didn't understand Marvin's boundaries as well as he might have liked to, and he was determined to find out if Marvin was still okay with him before he let himself do what he wanted. Even if Marvin wanted to break up with him, it would be fine, as long as Marvin didn't date another ego. That was where Yan's grace hit the line.

"Yeah..." Yan uttered. "I... I've been back awhile, I just... needed to cool off,"

Marvin's breath hitched in his throat and guilt began to pile up in his stomach. "Okay,"

"Okay..."

There was a tension filled silence in which both egos averted their eyes, unsure of where they stood. They weren't fighting- but did that mean they were really alright again? If they were alright again, surely Yan wouldn't hesitate before embracing Marvin? Surely Marvin wouldn't be refraining from holding Yan close, breathing in his scent, enjoying his warmth?

"Normally you'd have jumped into my arms by now," Marvin finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

Yan gulped softly, trying to be subtle, but Marvin could hear everything. The lilt in his voice, the shuddering breath, the hesitation upon his lips. But Yan didn't acknowledge that anything was wrong as he replied, "Yeah, I would..."

Marvin wanted nothing more than to hold Yan close to him, collapse together onto the bed, and stay there until someone forced them apart, but how could he do that if Yan didn't want the same? Surely the distance he'd kept had to mean something. Had Yan given up on Marvin? Had he found a new person to call Senpai- one who would embrace the title, and flaunt it, and do everything Marvin wished he wasn't opposed to? If so, Marvin would be happy for him. Yan deserved much more than Marvin could give, and though he'd be distraught, he supposed he'd been living without Yan for months now...

_What am I thinking? I don't want to give him up!_

Marvin let out a choked sob, bringing Yan in for a hug and burying his face in the crook of Yan's neck, breathing in the unusual mix of cherry blossoms and blood that he'd become so accustomed to in the past two years. Until their recent break, he hadn't realised just how much he'd missed it. He felt a surge of warmth in his chest as Yan hugged back just as tightly, feeling wetness against his neck and knowing Yan was crying tears of relief.

They were going to be alright.

"I've missed you so much," Marvin sobbed, his tears clinging to the inside of his mask, mixing with the condensation caused by his warm breath.

Yan whimpered something like "I've missed you too," in return, but Marvin could barely make out the words. The sentiment was still there, however, and Marvin supposed that with how he was carrying on he probably hadn't sounded clear either.

"I love you," Marvin stuttered out, lifting his mask so that it didn't get ruined by his weeping. It slipped through his fingers, falling onto the ground as his hands made their way to Yan's fluffy hair, tousling it as their embrace continued. The two egos detached momentarily before Marvin leaned in again, kissing Yan deeply, ignoring the muffled 'mmph' that sounded from his lover's lips.

Marvin wasn't aware of how he came to be lying fully clothed on his four poster bed, limbs entwined with Yan's, but he was sure he wouldn't regret any of it if he could remember. By the way his lips tingled and his arms ached, he guessed they'd kissed again and again, barely managing to break apart for air between each touch, and now that he thought about it, a recollection of such happy memories couldn't have happened any time in the last three months. He didn't think he'd ever get used to this as he pressed his body firmly against Yan's, letting his lips graze over Yan's own a few more times before kissing him again.

When they broke apart, Yan giggled softly, hands caressing Marvin's bare cheeks.

"What?" Marvin breathed, the smile never leaving his face.

"You never gave me the chance to say I love you too," Yan chuckled, kissing Marvin softly again. "I don't want to give you up ever again,"

Marvin grinned as he let himself rest gently upon Yan's breast, content to lie here and bask in his lover's presence for eternity. Yan's hands found their way into Marvin's hair and he laughed under his breath, threading his fingers through the green locks fondly.

"You've grown out your hair..." Yan noted, twirling it round his pointer finger. "I love it,"

Truly, Marvin hadn't even noticed, but he supposed it did feel a little more out of control lately. But if Yan really loved it, he wouldn't change it back. He could get used to the sensation of Yan's fingers running smoothly across his scalp.

Suddenly, they stopped.

"Oh my god, Marv, you just  _purred_ ," Yan giggled. Marvin blushed a little, but felt deep down that he really wasn't ashamed of it at all.

"Did I?" Marvin asked, a little short of breath. Yan made to respond, when-

"He's  _PREGNANT_?!"

Marvin groaned aloud, biting his lip. That sounded very much like Anti, and if the sentence was anything to go by, he guessed now knew what was straining Dark so much lately.

"We should go see what that's all about," Yan breathed, but didn't make to leave.

Marvin let his eyes close in relaxation, resting his head once again on Yan's breast. "Mhm,"

There was a comfortable silence, in which neither ego really wanted to move, but eventually Yan spoke up again.

"You don't really want to go, do you?"

Marvin smiled softly. "Nope,"

Yan snorted. "Me neither, I want to hear you purr again,"

If Marvin could purr on demand, he'd do it in a heartbeat, but given that this revelation was fairly new to him, he decided that Yan probably knew what to do better than he did. He left his eyes closed as Yan's fingers made themselves at home in his hair, his mask long forgotten on the floor, his arms feeling at home again, wrapped around the love of his life.

He knew they couldn't fix this alone, but he also knew that Yan was willing to try. And if they both put in the effort to make things right again, it would be easier than counting to three. Right now, Marvin could care less about Anti's problems. All he wanted to do was to lie here with Yan, enjoying their closeness until they grew sick of the pain in their backs.

Marvin smiled contently as he purred again.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"... did I hear that correctly?"

"Afraid so, chap,"

There was no doubt that Anti's shout of alarm had reached throughout every inch of the manor, but somehow Xyler knew the others who resided here were probably as mad as the Colonel, and wouldn't think much of the exclamation. While the man Xyler had once catered for simply winced at the noise, Xyler was reeling at the very idea of what Anti was reacting to.

 _Pregnant?_  But how? Well, it was obvious that Dark wasn't entirely human, but that wasn't justification enough for Xyler. As far as the butler had known, Dark was human enough for the laws of reproduction to apply to him.

_Apparently, I was wrong in that belief..._

"But... how?"

Wilford chortled loudly in response. "Well I'm sure you've heard about the birds and the bees, haven't you?"

Xyler sighed a little. "Yes, but-"

"WILFORD!"

Xyler jumped as the sound of running footsteps echoed through the manor, barely moving aside in time to avoid being impaled by a knife.

The glitch, Anti, was pinning Wilford to the wall and holding him at knife-point, but the eccentric man with a pink mustache simply wasn't perturbed. Xyler, meanwhile, was trying to find his stomach.

"Well I must say this isn't the reaction I thought you'd have," Wilford commented, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you want to be a father?"

"Why didn't you  _tell me_  that Dark could have kids?!"

Wilford shrugged carelessly. "Well how was I supposed to know he could have children? I've never topped with him, he always takes charge of me!"

Anti's features paled. His grip on the knife tightened, and it began to feel sharp against Will's throat.

"He  _WHAT_?!" Anti snarled.

Xyler very much wanted to be excluded from this narrative.

"Oh dear..." Dr. Iplier uttered, fists clenched together, knuckles pale. "This isn't a good first impression,"

Xyler shook his head, but backed away from the unfolding chaos all the same. "We've met before,"

Dr. Iplier's eyes widened in disbelief, turning to face Xyler with an incredulous expression. "You've met Wilford before? Where?"

"I once served as a butler in a manor he owned," Xyler explained. "Though the first time we became acquainted was the poker night... he was in the military, you see? He wasn't often home,"

Dr. Iplier ran his fingers through his hair. "So sorry- I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Dr. Iplier. How come you aren't dead yet? Are you dying?"

Xyler shrugged. "It baffles me as well, doctor. Time seems to have escaped me, and all others that once resided in that cursed manor. I'm Xyler, it is nice to meet you,"

"Likewise," the doctor replied. "This is my fiance, Henrik. I must say, you seem rather... sane. Well, compared to the two other people from your time period, that is."

Xyler shuddered. "I left the manor and sought work elsewhere the night after Mark's death- but when the police came looking for me as a murder suspect, my name became tainted. I couldn't find anyone who wanted a butler, but I hardly wanted to join the armed forces. You see, this was during the Great Depression..."

"I see," Schneep hummed. "But vhen did you notice you veren't aging normally? Truly, Vilford hasn't yet discovered it,"

Xyler opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by Anti shouting, and the three egos were brought out of their conversation to realise that Wilford was still being held hostage in the room with them.

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU TWO BEEN FUCKING?!"

"Whoa, calm down there," Wilford said, not the least bit worried about how close Anti was to ripping out his throat. "It was a long time ago,"

There were fresh tears of hatred in Anti's eyes as he scowled, pushing Wilford roughly against the wall.

"How can I trust  _a̕n̨yth̵i̢ng͟_ you say?!" Anti cried. "Just... just leave me  _a̢̡l̛҉o͢n͢͞ȩ͢..._ "

Anti turned and fled the room, slamming the door behind him on his way out. If the layout of this manor was anything similar to Mark's own, then Xyler assumed he was on his way to the theater.

"Is this an everyday occurrence?" Xyler queried. Dr. Iplier shook his head solemnly, while Schneeplestein sighed, folding his glasses. There were small tears in his eyes.

"I vill talk to ihn, Doc. Er is just having pre-parental panic, zat is all."

The doctors kissed sweetly, before Schneep left in the direction of the kitchen to find Anti. Dr. Iplier ran his fingers through his hair again, turning to Xyler with a tired expression.

"I must apologise once again for the antics of my fellow egos," the doctor sighed, gesturing for Xyler to follow him. "Now I've gathered you wanted to meet with Dark?"

"Yes sir, it is of utmost importance that I meet with him sooner rather than later," Xyler started. "Though I understand he is not present at this time,"

"No, I'd assume he's still in Brighton with Seán," Dr. Iplier muttered. "Oh, sorry- you wouldn't be familiar, I suppose. Seán is the original of the Septiceye egos- Henrik and Anti included, though there are many more. Henrik checked in on them yesterday,"

Xyler let out a distressed sigh. "Brighton... I will be unable to follow him outside of the states, this is... unfortunate, to say the least,"

"I apologise for the inconvenience," Dr. Iplier responded, taking Xyler through the entrance to the main sitting area and gesturing for him to sit. Xyler settled himself on a pristine white sofa, almost identical to the one he'd spent months caring for back in the '30s. It felt more than eerie to be treated as a guest in a manor so alike to Mark's- almost as if the doctor had taken the role of butler in this house.

"If I may- what business did you want to speak to Dark about?"

Xyler pondered briefly if he should be concerned about sharing this information- but quickly came to the conclusion that it didn't need to be a secret. In fact, the more people that knew about it, the better, in this case.

"I've mentioned Mark," Xyler started, and the doctor nodded along.

"Yes, though the Mark you are referring to is not the original of me, nor my brethren, I assume,"

"I had wondered how you looked so familiar," Xyler muttered. "Yes, the Mark I reference is a man I used to work for- an actor, who orchestrated his own murder to take revenge on those who had wronged him. I had thought he really had perished that October eve- but it was not so. In the year 1976, I believe it was, I came upon the man himself. I was waiting at a restaurant with my associate, Robert..."

_"Benjamin! Get this steak outta my sight before I stick that bow tie where the sun don't shine!"_

_Benjamin took the order valiantly, picking up the plate and setting it on a tray that was already lined with napkins and cutlery. He prided himself on doing well at his job, after all, and this was his first and only chance. He'd rather deal with that insufferable chef's nasty attitude than live another long decade on the streets, begging for food he didn't even really need- at least this way, he could afford an apartment above the restaurant._

_He hadn't been able to acquire a driver's license, given that he couldn't claim to be twenty-six years old while his records stated he was born in 1909. But then, he couldn't really pass for sixty-seven years old either. Each attempt at forging a license or certificate of birth had landed him in jail for an extended period of time, and with no way of clearing his record, he hadn't been employed in what felt like decades._

_Really, he was so thankful to Robert for letting him work at this three star restaurant that he was willing to take every insult the man could dream up in his stride._

_He walked out into the main dining area, setting the prepared tray of food down at a wealthy looking woman's table. She offered him a smile, which he returned warmly, his lips a little strained as he tensed with recognition._

_"Now what's your name, young man?"_

_"I am Benjamin, madam," Benjamin introduced. "I hope you enjoy your meal tonight,"_

_"Oh, I'm sure it will be just lovely," the lady beamed. "My, you do look familiar. Have we met?"_

_Benjamin bit his lip worriedly, but hid it as a smile. "I'm afraid not, madam, I'd remember someone so lovely,"_

_She chuckled heartily through her dentures, sweeping her grey hair aside as the pearls around her neck twinkled in the golden light. She looked every bit as gorgeous as she once had been, standing alongside her wealthy husband in the newspapers of old._

_"My old mind must be playing tricks on me again," she chortled. "Well, dear, I suppose I'll leave you to your work then. Have a tip, you've provided this old lady with brilliant service,"_

_Benjamin tried not to feel to guilty as he took her generous tip, walking away and entering the kitchens upon seeing there were no more orders to be taken._

_Robert eyed him dangerously. "I thought you were meant to be waiting tables, Butler,"_

_Benjamin closed the doors behind him, glancing around to make sure the other chefs couldn't hear._

_"I just served the mayor's mother, Chef," Benjamin gulped. "She's aged well, but I can't shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. Why is it that you and I have not grown old as she has?"_

_Robert flexed his muscles, flipping some bacon over in the pan he was holding. "I dunno, Benjamin, but these tables ain't gonna wait themselves,"_

_Benjamin sighed in frustration. "Don't you understand where I'm coming from, Chef? It's been decades and you still only care about working, working, working... I'm concerned- they never did find the mayor, you know? Would he have aged as well?"_

_"Look, Butler, I gave you this job because time dicked us both over, and I was better at covering my tracks. We're making it work, but it'll all go to shit if we get one bad review on this place, you get it? I could give two shits about where that uppity fuck went- that's behind us now,"_

_"No, Chef, it isn't!" Benjamin snapped. "Look at us! We should be grey and old, but we're not! We're trying to fit in in this changing world, when we should be in retirement!"_

_Robert snarled. "This bacon is going to burn before I stop looking out for myself, Butler. You wanna burn with it?"_

_Benjamin growled in frustration, walking aside and setting yet another tray with cutlery and napkins, waiting for a complete order to take out. He could hear growing commotion from the other side of the door, and opened it to make sure nothing was wrong._

_He dropped the tray in shock- luckily, he'd ventured onto the carpet before the recognition really hit._

_It was the mayor- but something seemed... off._

_The lady Benjamin had just served had her eyes open in disbelief. She shakily stood from her seat, making her way over to the man, who hadn't even noticed her._

_Wouldn't Mayor Damien recognise his own mother?"_

_"Damien?" She called, walking over. A few guests started at the noise, but none cared too much to eavesdrop. Benjamin, however, was gobsmacked. He took a few steps forward, not bothering to fix the mess he'd created._

_'Damien' had looked up when the name had been called. He fixed the woman approaching him with a cold stare, one that bit Benjamin to the bone. The lady stopped a few feet short of his table, clutching a spare chair to steady herself- Benjamin was worried she may faint._

_"It's really you," she stated, weeping tears of what seemed to be relief. "Oh, my dear, it's been so long, we thought you were dead..."_

_'Damien' flinched as she tried to get closer to him. His mannerisms seemed oddly familiar to Benjamin as he watched the scene unfold, transfixed._

_"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm not the man you think I am," 'Damien' tried to evade, but there was no denying it. Though Benjamin had only seen him in person once, he was certainly not a forgettable face, especially when he hadn't changed at all in the last forty-one years._

_"Oh, Damien, please, don't give me that..." the lady pleaded. "It's been far too long to keep up this charade any longer- please, you don't have to hide anymore. The case is closed,"_

_'Damien' stiffened, and Benjamin did a double take. That movement was one he'd seen his previous master fall into, each time Benjamin had informed him that his wife was not at home._

_But surely it wasn't Mark- the man was dead, right?_

_"No, please, leave me to my business before I call security,"_

_The lady's eyes brimmed with tears as she choked out a gasp, running to him and engulfing him in a desperate hug._

_The chaos seemed to unfold immediately._

_Before Benjamin could process the situation properly, the woman was on the floor, still as a statue, while 'Damien' regarded her body with a cold glare. There was no visible wound and there was no blood, but the collapse caused an uproar in the seated customers, with people rushing to her aid and calling for medics._

_Benjamin rushed for the restaurant's phone, calling for an ambulance, but part of him knew that it was too late. If he wasn't mistaken, the old woman he'd known as the mayor's mother was turning ninety soon, and she was on her way out already. As he ended the call, he made eye contact with 'Damien', and felt his blood run cold. Recognition mixed with malice greeted him, and 'Damien' left the restaurant without another word._

_The next day, the restaurant had burned to the ground._

"I've no doubt it was Mark that did it," Xyler continued solemnly, Dr. Iplier hanging on his every word. "He knew that I recognised him, and he knew that I wouldn't be quiet about it. I managed to escape with a few scraps of clothing, and together Chef and I decided to look for work elsewhere. But as we were going through the rubble to see if we could salvage anything, I saw him- Dark. It was like deja vu, seeing the image of the mayor walking through the charred remains of the restaurant, sitting where Mark sat. His skin was grey and his hair unkempt, but it was more Damien than Mark had been, yet somehow not Damien at all. He sat there, holding his hand to the ashes, weeping. To this day I haven't the slightest idea why he was so moved,"

Dr. Iplier sighed deeply. "So that's how you came to meet Dark... but why would you need to meet him again?"

"Because the last time, we banded together to bring Mark down," Benjamin explained. "I created a distraction, and Dark delivered the justice by burning him alive. The second time I witnessed him crying was that day, looking at the burned body. We both knew he wouldn't be coming back- but I fear our celebration was short lived. I saw on the news that his body had been discovered again, and I couldn't sit idle. I tried contacting Dark on the phone line he used to use, but it had been disconnected. I wandered far and wide, until a disgruntled looking fellow directed me here, but it seems I have just missed him,"

"I... I don't know what to say, Xyler," Dr. Iplier uttered. "Why is it so bad that Mark has returned, exactly?"

Xyler looked astonished. "Sir, forgive me, but you must be mad. Mark is a  _murderer_ \- He made two attempts on my life, and I have reason to believe he is behind the disappearance of the mayor and his wife as well- not to mention that he committed several cases of arson, and that he is quite possibly the reason I haven't met my end yet. I will not let him roam free any longer than absolutely necessary- have I made myself clear?"

"Of course," Dr. Iplier reasoned. "But I'm sure you know that pregnancy is damaging in some cases, and Dark is no exception. Why, in the brief time that he was here, he experienced fatigue and weakness, and the child is barely half its full term size in his womb,"

"Surely there must be something we can do," Xyler sighed, not wanting to give up.

Dr. Iplier shook his head. "It is not something we are equipped to handle- you're right, you know. Dark would be a great help to your cause, but he's barely even fit enough to walk around, you'd understand if you could see him. Aside from perhaps Wilford, I can't think of anyone else who could possibly help you along,"

"Wilford..." Xyler grimaced. "Presuming he is still alive,"

Dr. Iplier waved Xyler's worry away immediately. "Oh, Anti won't kill him. He's just shocked about having to be a father- but Wilford really is your best hope. I'd go and recruit him before he finds himself castrated,"

Xyler blinked. "I... I can't seem to tell if you're joking,"

Dr. Iplier only sighed again. "If only, Xyler. If only... in the meantime, I'm sure Dark won't mind if you take up residence here in the manor- really, it's the least I can do to make sure you have a room-"

"Oh- you need not worry," Xyler interrupted, getting to his feet. "I know this house like the back of my hand- I will use the servant's quarters,"

"Ah- you can't," Dr. Iplier interceded further, standing as well. "There are many more guests here than you must be used to, I'm afraid all of the living quarters are occupied. The rooms you speak of- first floor in the east wing, yes? They belong to King, my brother. But not to worry, I'm sure at the very least you can bunk with someone here. I promise you, we don't all carry knives and guns,"

Xyler was about to say something, but stopped himself. It was clear that despite his knowledge of how the manor runs, he had no idea of the current residents.

"How many people reside here?" Xyler asked curiously.

Dr. Iplier sighed. "I've stopped counting- fourteen, give or take,"

Xyler gulped. The rooms in the original manor had only been designed to hold up to eight people, not including the maid and the chef. He resigned himself to walk behind the doctor, wondering just how hard it would be to make his way to Brighton alone.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Man, having four arms sucks,"

The complaint slipped from Halter's lips easily, but as soon as he realised the company he was with, one of his aforementioned limbs clamped to his mouth in embarrassment.

Septiplier only chuckled in return, shrugging with two of his arms raised, the other two supporting his chin as he rested them on Halter's table. The two fusions had hit it off immediately, much to Halter's delight, and they'd spent nearly every day together since they'd first been introduced. It was partly because Halter was so curious about how Septiplier managed to go about his day without ducking or hitting his extra limbs on things, and partly because Septiplier hadn't felt this attached to someone in years that they'd spent so much time together, but even now that most of the questions were answered, the fusions couldn't help but linger, feeling more at home together than they ever had apart.

"Yeah, it really does," Septiplier agreed. "I can't go a day without thinking it, you're not alone,"

"It's just... why would you need more than two?" Halter continued. "Sure, it looks epic on someone like Opal, but I'm not a totally awesome gem fusion,"

Septiplier scoffed under his breath, "Who says you're not an awesome gem fusion? You're literally Rhodonite,"

Halter raised an eyebrow, feeling his cheeks pinking at what he took to be a compliment. "Rhodonite? Uh... thanks?"

Septiplier rolled all four of his eyes. "You're always so nervous and worried you'll do something wrong- wondering if you've overstepped boundaries, concerned about whether or not people like you,"

Halter reddened as he realised that every one of those statements about him were true. How much had Septiplier been paying attention to his quirks and habits?

_Probably as much as you've been paying to his..._

"That'd be my inner Dan," Halter noted, trying not to get tongue tied in his state of heated exhilaration.

Septiplier smirked. "You're also very protective, especially of misfits like you. You tend to flex between referring to yourself as 'me' and 'we', and you're constantly having a crisis about who you really are. But you're kind and caring, and that's your inner Phil,"

Halter smiled. "Sometimes I forget you've met part of me before,"

Septiplier shrugged. "You're something entirely new, Halter. You're not Dan. You're not Phil. You're something more, you just don't know it yet,"

"Aww," Halter grinned, deciding he may as well embrace the blush that was now making its way to his neck. "Well you know who you remind me of?"

"Who?"

"Sardonyx,"

Septiplier raised an eyebrow again. " _Sardonyx_? Really?"

Halter gently placed two of his hands on Septiplier's own, holding them to the table as he spoke.

"You tend to think of yourself as a separate being- you don't see yourself as two different parts that make up a whole, unlike me. Mark is extravagant- he's honestly got the personality to match Sardonyx, but Jack's there too. He's easy to forget, but he's there. You can hear it in the accent you've got, and you can see it in the green hair, but it really comes in with your genuine nature. You don't lie to people- you tell them straight and to the point if there's a problem, and you're always upfront. You don't let others see what's really going on until it's too late, and you care probably too much about everything. That's your inner Pearl talking,"

Septiplier snorted, but made no move to detach their hands. "I guess I really am like Sardonyx, huh? I honestly thought you were just going to leave it as conceited but I was pleasantly surprised,"

Halter smiled softly, reaching out one of his hands to caress Septiplier's cheek comfortingly.

"Well, you could've left my similarities to Rhodonite at compulsive worrier but I figured I'd give you the same treatment you gave me,"

Septiplier grinned. "We're surprisingly different for being the only two egos with four eyes and four arms,"

Halter shrugged. "Well, not all gem fusions are the same,"

Septiplier smiled contently. "No, I suppose not. But you know what? All gem fusions, even toxic ones, are beautiful in their own way,"

Halter snorted. "This metaphor has gone on long enough- all I complained about was having too many arms, but..."

Halter inched a little closer. "I guess I wouldn't be able to pull this off with two arms, huh?"

Septiplier looked down- their hands were entwined on the table, and Halter had a hand on either side of his face, beckoning him to look into those brilliant brown and blue eyes.

"No," Septiplier agreed, mirroring Halter's embrace as he slid his fingers gently across Halter's pale skin. "You wouldn't,"

There they sat for a few moments, before Septiplier broke the silence.

"Can I kiss you?"

Halter blinked a few times. "Uhm... sure?"

Septiplier took a deep breath. "I mean, it's just- I've never actually done this before but god dammit, you look so kissable right now,"

Halter couldn't help but break into a grin at that, chuckling slightly, welcoming the embrace and enjoying the brief feeling of another's lips on his own.

Septiplier pulled away worriedly when Halter didn't react. "Wait, was that okay?"

Halter smiled softly. "Yeah, I quite liked it. Seems I'm not the only one that overthinks, huh?"

Septiplier reddened, hiding his face beneath his hands. "Sorry, I just... I didn't want to freak you out,"

Halter only smiled again, using his extra arms to bring Septiplier closer to him. "It takes a lot to freak me out, mister, I've got vivid memories of certain fics involving hats, chairs, and skin,"

Septiplier shuddered. "Let's not delve into fanfiction, I've got my own share of embarrassing stories,"

"Okay," Halter agreed, and that was the end of the conversation.

They held each other in silence for a few minutes, enjoying how simple their romance really was. While Halter had confided in Septiplier weeks ago about his feelings, he hadn't thought they'd really act on them so soon- if at all. He just liked there to be full disclosure between them, and romantic attraction certainly seemed like something he'd want to bring up.

Septiplier hadn't even minded, which was something Halter had been worried about. The fusion had simply smiled and returned Halter's outpouring of emotional drivel with a nod and a "me too".

Halter supposed he didn't really need a flashy revelation to come about because of this- really, if the first kiss was considered a milestone enough, shouldn't the first touch also be worthy of remembering? Even that was something forgotten, lost, because it simply didn't matter to Halter when these things happened. He'd known for a while that his feelings were returned, and he knew that this kiss wasn't going to be their last.

Halter rested his head on Septiplier's shoulder as they sat back on the couch. One day, they'd have to leave Halter's house to visit the others, but that moment hadn't yet come.

For now, Halter and Septiplier were free to forget the relationships they represented in order to nurture their own.

"Do you think anyone ships Rhodonite and Sardonyx?"

"Oh my god, shut up,"


	6. Chapter 5

**~Groundlands~**

"How long do we have left, Seán?"

Seán quickly checked his watch for the time- he hadn't changed it to LA time just yet, but he could still tell that it had only been five hours. Now, that might seem like a decent amount of time, but Seán knew they had over seven hours of the flight left to go and even though he was already restless, he was barely halfway through.

"Ages," Seán sighed, sitting back in his seat. "Shame you couldn't sleep for longer, huh?"

Dark shrugged in return. "I usually have no need for it, but since I started carrying this child I've been able to do nothing else,"

Seán winced in response, his own nerves tingling with empathy. "She's taking all the energy out of ye, huh?"

Dark smiled. "Something like that. Thankfully, I don't believe the Void will be in too much disrepair in my absence- truthfully, I had already handed my reigns to Wilford long before I left. I was simply in no state to be holding it all together..."

Seán patted Dark's hand softly. "Hey, maternity leave exists for a reason,"

"True," Dark sighed. "I cannot wait for this travel to be over- this form is certainly convenient, but I much prefer my male body,"

Seán snorted. "But dude, most guys would kill to have a girl's body!"

Dark rolled her eyes, but smiled in return. "Yes, but most guys don't understand just how painful being a woman can be. Sure, a kick to the crotch hurts, but you can avoid that by being a nice enough person. It doesn't matter how a woman leads her life- at least once monthly she'll feel like hell."

"Gah," Seán shuddered. "Okay, nevermind, I'll keep my dick,"

Dark let out a small sigh, readjusting herself in her seat yet again. She couldn't sit still for long anyway, much less with this extra weight to worry about. She felt the baby start to kick again, pressing her hand to the child's apparent favourite place to be in the womb- settled just below her right breast.

"My, she seems to be just like Anti," Dark mused, her expression of sadness slowly fading with every time the child's feet made contact with her hand.

"How do you mean?" Seán asked curiously.

Dark smiled, beckoning him to feel her stomach again. The baby seemed to know it was getting extra attention, because Dark felt them move within her womb to kick at the other side of her stomach. She wasn't quite sure if that was something special, or if all babies had another sense for these things. She supposed she'd have to read up on pregnancy when they touched down.

"She's, quite literally, bouncing off the walls," Dark sighed contently. "Oh, I do wish he'll want her as much as I do..."

Seán was about to ask what was wrong, but then the haunting image of Anti slitting his own throat appeared in his mind.  _Right. That happened._

"I'm sure he'll love her too," Seán smiled, believing wholeheartedly in his words. Months ago, he'd thought of Anti as a stone-hearted killer, but now? He was certain that he and Anti weren't so different after all. "He loves you, you know?"

A pained expression crossed Dark's features. "I'm very aware of that, Seán. But that is not the dilemma. What I'm truly concerned about is if he really  _should_ love me, when I've wronged him this way,"

"We've been over this, Dark," Seán interceded, before Dark could worry herself further. "Everyone deserves happiness,"

"I have not forgotten," Dark explained, "I've merely... had a change of heart. I want to love him in return, trust me, but there are certain habits I seem unable to break that cause fractures between us,"

"Like?"

Dark swallowed. "Mind reading- I can't seem to stop it, but that's not the worst of it. Anti fears that I don't talk to him enough, but... I truly do know what he's thinking, he just isn't aware... I just get so busy with my position of power that I forget communication is important, and he certainly feels neglected, I... I just wish I could see him again to apologise. Perhaps then my conscience will leave me alone about it,"

Seán patted Dark's hand again. "I... I'm sure when he realises you're expecting he'll be here in a flash, Dark,"

Dark sighed in distress. "I don't- agh, don't you get it, Seán? It's wonderful that we're having a child, but I don't want Anti to come back just for her. Not because he feels obligated to be a part of her life, simply because of how she was conceived. I want... I want him to come back for  _me_... I want him to return only if he truly wants to be a part of this growing family. Not because of the pressure this will put on him if he refuses,"

Seán was silent for a few moments, trying to comprehend the weight of what Dark was going through. The fear of Anti wanting to leave, mixed with the idea he seemed to have that he didn't deserve the glitch. The desire to keep Anti from the burden of having a child, while still considering that Anti might want the child, while also feeling guilty of forcing him to come back to their tainted relationship. Seán hated that there were no words he could say to dismiss Dark's worries.

"I... okay, this is getting nowhere," Seán admitted, mostly to himself. "We'll... we'll cross Anti's bridge when we come to it. How about we talk about... um, I don't know, uh... the egos. Yeah, how are they doing?"

Dark seemed grateful for the excuse to get her child off her mind. Her body instantly relaxed, her eyes gaining a slight glimmer, turning deep black from their previously consistent shade of blue.

"Ah yes, those... manifestations,"

Seán frowned. "I thought this would make you happier,"

"It's just that... my relationship with many of the egos has been strained, as of late. They cannot seem to stop involving themselves in my personal matters, despite my warnings to stop. I'm afraid to admit that I might have resorted to silencing them myself if they had continued- I'm not sure if that's me or the increased hormones talking, mind you,"

Seán sighed to himself. It seemed Dark was just a walking puddle of angst, no matter what he did to fix it. Pregnancy really was a wild ride, huh? "Okay, who hasn't been a dick about it?"

Dark was silent for a few seconds. Then, "I suppose the only ones who haven't been vocally opposed or congratulatory are Bim, King and your two newest ones... their names escape me,"

"You mean..." Seán had to wrack his brain to figure this out, feeling somewhat embarrassed that he'd forgotten the names of two of his official egos. "Tommy and Clint?"

"Ah, yes," Dark affirmed. "They just don't live in the manor, while most of the others do. Why, I believe that the only one who has not yet made it his residence is your superhero- everyone else is close friends or in a relationship with one of my brethren,"

Seán blanched. " _Everyone_  except Jackieboy?!"

Dark smirked at Seán's obvious surprise and discomfort. "Yes, though many have only become official recently. Hmm, I remember telling you about some of them, which were you aware of, again?" 

"Well, I thought it was just Jameson, Marvin and Schneep," Seán sighed. "They're... they're  _all_  dating Mark's egos?"

"Well, except for Tickler and Powers," Dark supplied once again. "They don't fit with our crowd."

Seán groaned heavily, sinking even further into his seat. He was afraid that if this continued, he may sink so far he'd fall through the floor and into the ocean. "And why isn't Jackie dating one of them?"

Dark shrugged. "I assume it to be because many of Mark's egos tend to be... morally inconsiderate, at the very least. He has his own place somewhere in the Void, but he often stays over to check on the rest of his family. It's common knowledge, in fact, that he doesn't trust any of us with his brothers,"

Seán found the images of Wilford Warfstache and Yandereplier appearing in his mind, and figured he knew where Jackie was coming from.

"Right. So who are they dating, and why, and should I act like a concerned father about this?"

Dark flashed him a small smile. "Well, you of course know Marvin was in a relationship with Yandereplier. Unfortunately, they both perished in a fight with Anti a couple of months ago. Marvin has returned, but Yan hasn't to my knowledge. He isn't very popular compared to the other egos, so it isn't very surprising that it's taking him this long, but... well, it's obvious that Marvin misses him."

Seán felt a tug in his chest as he imagined losing someone he loved like that, having to live with himself every day knowing they'd come back, just not knowing when. That, he decided, would suck even more than the knowledge they weren't coming back.

"Right..." Seán sighed. "And how did they get together?"

Dark smiled fondly in remembrance. "A few days after Marvin became an official ego and arrived, Anti and Jackieboy brought him around to meet the Ipliers. Yan had existed for a year now, waiting for his Senpai, and as soon as he saw Marvin he realised just who he'd been waiting for,"

Seán blinked. "Wait... so Marvin's only with Yandere because Yandere thinks he's his Senpai?"

"Oh, Yan  _knows_  Marvin's his Senpai," Dark corrected. "And from what I've seen, Marvin is very attached to him in return. At least, that's what I've been forgiving his attitude for. Trust me, Seán, none of your egos are in a relationship they don't want to be a part of- despite some of them having strange judgment of character,"

"Okay, so Marvin's got a boyfriend," Seán sighed. "What about Robbie, then?"

"Ah, the zombie. Ever since he arrived, he's mainly kept to himself, not even talking to his brothers," Dark began. "One of Mark's egos, The Host, had taken it upon himself to become Robbie's personal narrator. Somewhere along the line, they got a little too close to be called friends anymore, though I don't think they consider themselves a couple either. They're a strange pair,"

When Seán had asked Robin to edit that thumbnail, he hadn't expected the fans to make up another ego and include him in the roster with Jackie, Marvin, Schneep and Anti. He wasn't really opposed to it, but he certainly hadn't seen it coming. He'd been careful only to use normal enough pictures in his thumbnails after that.

But it brought him some measure of happiness that the zombie was alive and well, and with someone who cared about him. Despite the fact that it was another of Mark's countless egos.

"And Chase?"

"Brody and Bing have been best friends since Bing arrived," Dark sighed, eyes closed. Seán was pleased to see him relaxing a little despite the occasional creak and groan that told them they were on a plane miles high in the air. "Mostly because their personalities are so similar. Bing has always been very protective of him, more worried about Chase's wellbeing than his own. Chase has told me that sometimes he forgets that Bing isn't human. I don't know when- possibly after Anti's fight- but one of them proposed the idea of being a couple and now they can't go an hour without making out in public. It's... quite disturbing, actually,"

Seán shuddered. "I thought... I thought that Chase was still hung up on Stacy,"

Dark sent him a meaningful look that seemed to tear through Seán's very being. "He was, for a time. Though recently, with a form of closure, he has started to make a remarkable recovery from his depression. Tell me, Seán, why did you create an ego from a dead man?"

Seán sighed. "Ah fook, I didn't think... I didn't think he'd really come to life as an ego. My neighbour showed me a newspaper clipping from a few years back, told me I looked like the man that used to live nearby, and he just... he looked so similar to me that I had to make a video about it. But I didn't want to make a boring old lookalike video where I explained that he'd murdered eight people, so I... I made a skit of it."

Seán looked down at his hands, ashamed. "I didn't think he'd really have to live with any of it,"

Dark closed her eyes again, finding Seán's hand and grasping it reassuringly. "It isn't me you have to explain yourself to, Seán. It's him. But I insist we move on from this topic- wasn't the whole aim of this conversation to lighten the mood?"

Seán gave a half-hearted bark of laughter. "Yeah, I guess it was... well, anyway, who else is there? Oh, right, Jameson- what's the story behind that?"

Dark stiffened a little, but passed it off as discomfort from sitting still for too long. She wasn't about to admit to Seán that she had a history with Wilford, one that made looking at the pair of gentlemen as they spent time together painful for her. She pushed her distress aside.

"Wilford sleeps around- it's no secret. He just doesn't think about the consequences of his actions, and acts based on a whim. It's a flaw we can't blame him for, as the things he's seen in the past have all contributed to his madness today, but we deal with it in different ways. When your dapper man arrived, something was very obviously different. Wilford went to great lengths to get Jameson to notice him, much greater than he's gone for anyone since... but that's not important,"

Dark winced at her mistake, trying to compose herself to continue the tale. She hated that part of her still clung to the memories and happiness she'd been able to find with Will by her side.

Seán frowned, clearly noticing Dark's lapse of speech, but said nothing about it. "So what, Wilford courted him instead of just fooking and leaving him?"

Dark's lips twitched a little. "Not quite. I'm sure Wilford thought Jameson was going to be a brief fling, but he seems to have grown attached to the man. It's been half a year now, and he's always with Jameson, but it's no secret to anyone of the house that he still sleeps with who he wants to. It's just that now, he's got someone who'll forgive him for his infidelity, but... I must bring my concerns to light. Jameson has been feeling hurt, he just doesn't let it show. I fear that if this behaviour continues, their romance will come to a painfully hard stop,"

Seán grimaced. "Why does Jameson still stay if he knows about this?"

Dark shook her head with a sad smile. "He's in love, Seán. He's holding out hope that Wilford will change for him, but love can't change a man. Wilford must find a way to fix himself, but he isn't entirely convinced there's even something wrong with him in the first place. It's... not the best love story, but... well, he's not the best person, I'm afraid. But I have hope too, Seán. He was once a good man, and he can be a good man again. He's been twisted by the same forces that I have... but I digress. We've left out one very notable couple."

Seán didn't want to pry, but it was clear to him that Dark had some kind of romantic history with Wilford, and extra clear that Dark still wasn't over it. He remembered from the mini series Mark had filmed last year that Wilford- or William, as he'd been known, was involved with the very same Celine that was now a part of Dark, but... the way Dark spoke of the madness Wilford had let consume him, it sounded as though they'd been together even after the events of the series had ended.

He shook his head. "Right, the doctors. How did they meet?"

"It was a dreary day for me, I'm afraid," Dark sighed unhappily. "Anti was growing ever distant from me, and my mood was sour. I had locked myself away, grieving for a love I hadn't thought to pursue. For as you know, by then it was already known to both of us just where Anti's feelings lay. But you already know that- the point is, I was absent the day that Henrik was introduced to my family. In fact, he was introduced to me by Dr. Iplier the following day. With their shared profession, it was undoubtedly obvious that they'd be close friends, but so soon after Marvin and Yan had gotten together, nobody was expecting something similar to happen,"

"But it did," Seán gathered. Dark smirked.

"Yes, it did, but they didn't want to take away from the attention Marvin and Yan were getting for their relationship, so they kept it a secret. Well, a secret from everyone but me. Unfortunately for them, the events that followed- with Henrik dying at Anti's hand along with his two older brothers, then Chase's arrival, they found themselves with their hands too full to focus on romance. Until the proposal, they hadn't really officially come out as a couple, but by then, everyone already knew,"

Seán found himself gasping, sitting up in his chair, exhilaration flooding his veins. "Proposal?!"

Dark cocked her head to one side. "Oh dear, it seems you were spoiled for the ending of the tale. Yes, Seán, the doctors are engaged to be married, but they will have to wait until I become officially ordained before they are wed- I have searched far and wide across the Void, but there seems to be nobody officiated to perform a wedding. But I am in no state currently, with my emotions and physical body being unpredictable- it seems they will have to wait until I am fit to pursue the title,"

"Wait, why do  _you_  have to perform the wedding?" Seán asked, still reeling from the discovery that his goddamn doctor ego was getting married before he was. 

"Wilford and I are the only ones capable of leaving the Void," Dark reminded. "But as you may gather, I am less likely to get distracted by women in flashy garments while being here. Unless they were to somehow manifest physically in this world, they would have to wait for me. It is simply unfortunate timing that has befallen us,"

"Uh huh..." Seán uttered, mind racing. "Okay. That's everyone? Nobody else is dating anybody else?"

Dark sighed deeply. "Well, this doesn't concern your egos particularly, but Bim and King have decided to fake being in a relationship recently and I've been fairly unsure of how to respond to it,"

Seán blinked. "They're faking being together? Why?"

"It has to do with Wilford- though he always needs consent and he never really gets it from those in a couple, Bim has been one of his go-to one night stands since he first arrived. It's like the damn show host just doesn't know how to decline. He's clearly gotten sick of being used, and instead of facing Wilford like a man and saying it to his face, he's decided that by pretending to date King he'll avoid the confrontation. I haven't been there recently to see how it's been going, having been searching for Anti, but Wilford doesn't seem to care, and I think..."

Seán swallowed. "You think?"

Dark grimaced. "I have reason to believe that Bim is experiencing a case of one sided attraction- it wasn't noticeable when he was still casually involved with Will, but since he's been in this false relationship it's been so obvious that I'm surprised even Wilford can't see it. He's been absolutely pining for Wilford's attention, and Wilford's just oblivious to it. He only has eyes for Jameson now, and somehow Bim feels he's been wronged. It's... complicated, to say the least. Not to mention what effect this could possibly be having on King- the man hasn't been right since his last breakup,"

Seán felt a surge of pity for Dark, while also trying to get the image of Mark kissing himself out of his mind, and shuffled a little in his seat. "You shouldn't have to hold it all together, Dark, you've got your own little dramas to deal with. Maybe... maybe it'll all sort itself out while you're gone,"

Dark sighed. "I can only hope, Seán,"

With that, the conversation seemed to end. Seán didn't know what to make of the strange love triangle evolving from Jameson and Wilford's relationship but he was still thinking about the notion that a part of his being, a weird part albeit, was engaged and hoping to be married- but there was nothing he could really do to help, was there?

 _Well wait just a second_ , he thought.  _Schneep can obviously possess me, and it's fookin terrifying. What if Dr. Iplier can do the same with Mark? Maybe they can take control of our bodies, and..._

And what? Get married? The idea seemed so ludicrous that Seán thought Mark just might agree. It wasn't like it was actually them, right? Just personifications of their skit characters, playing out roles in their bodies, right?

Seán sighed, noticing that Dark had once again fallen asleep. There was nobody else to talk to on this horrible aircraft that would even begin to comprehend what was going through his mind. He supposed he'd just have to leave it- there were other things he should be thinking about right now. Like how he was going to prevent Mark from hurting Dark while they were at his house, or how they were going to do checkups on the baby, or where Dark would ultimately end up staying.

He grimaced to himself. This was going to be a long seven hours.


	7. Chapter 6

**~Void~**

Anti slammed the sliding door that led to the manor's theater with enough force to pull it off its hinges, startling Bim and King, who were doing something in the corner with a jar of peanut butter. They both looked guilty, but Anti just didn't have time for their stupid fake relationship right now.

He fixed them with steely eyes. "Get the fuck out and fake your love life in your own damn rooms,"

"W-what?" Bim stuttered, "We're not-"

"I SAID OUT, TRIMMER!"

Anti pointed harshly to the open doorway, glaring at the pair until they decided to comply. They shuffled out with their peanut butter covered hands and there was the sound of a collision in the hallway. Normally Anti would be curious, but right now? He was lucky he hadn't destroyed the entire manor with his emotional upheaval.

He stormed to the end of the room, drawing the curtains closed around the octagonal seating area and focused on his erratic breathing, trying to calm himself.

"Anti!"

The glitch gritted his teeth. Somewhere, something inside him knew that the doctor was probably here to help, but Anti couldn't stop the sharp remark that tumbled from his lips.

"What the fook  _is it_?!" Anti hissed. "Can't you just leave me alone?!"

"Nein! You are going through a period of high stress, mein Bruder! I vant to assist!"

"Assist  _what_?" Anti sniffed, his voice cracking a little because he hadn't yelled like this in so long. Until now, Dark had insisted on fighting all of Anti's battles for him, after all.

"Ze news, obviously,"

Schneep moved the curtain aside as forcefully as it was placed there, placing his hand roughly on Anti's shoulder. The glitch didn't move to swat it away, instead fixing his tearful eyes on the doctor he'd killed once before, folding his arms and pointing his chin defiantly.

"I don't need help-"

"Komm, Anti," Schneep scoffed. "Zat is a lie. You are barely able to handle yourself- sit, I insist,"

Schneep pushed Anti into the chair he'd been aiming for, taking up the remaining seat and eyeing Anti carefully. "If you leave, I vill chase you,"

Anti groaned, hands in his hair, tugging at it stressfully. "I know."

Schneep sighed, folding his hands in his lap. He wasn't expecting to have to deal with Anti this way- he'd been talking with his estranged brother for the past two months, and they'd worked up enough of a bond to trust each other, but Anti was fragile now. One wrong word could mean the end of their friendly relations, and Schneep was  _not_  willing to give up on him yet. "Now, vhat seems to be your main concern, hm?"

Anti took a few long, shuddering breaths. "I... I'm not ready to be a father,"

Schneep gave a humourless chuckle. "Vell of course you aren't- but ze reality is, it is happening. Dark has chosen to keep ze baby, und ze matter is out of our hands,"

"Shouldn't he have told me?" Anti sniffed, hands moving down his face to cover his eyes. He began to rock a little in his seat, growing restless. Schneep had already determined that Anti was a destructive worrier, for both himself and his surroundings, but now didn't seem like the right time to take notes on his behaviour. Anti clearly already felt threatened in some way. "Don't I h-have the right to know?"

Schneep reached out hesitantly, placing a reassuring hand on Anti's own. "Anti, calm yourself. You need not vorry- Dark had every intention of telling you. I vas ze one who told him he could not return,"

"Y-you? Why? H-how could you-"

"Anti," Schneep cut him off. "It vas dangerous for him to return- surely even you have seen how veak he had become. Ze child vould not have survived ze change vhile still in ze vomb, I vas certain of it. But I did not do zis to harm your relationship in any vay- it vas simply unfortunate zat he couldn't find you before he resorted to venturing to ze Groundlands,"

Anti sat back in his chair, a little stunned. "He's... in the Groundlands? Alone?"

Schneep tutted. " _Nein_ , Anti, you must really stop zis talking before you think, it is annoying. He ist nicht alone, he is vith Jack,"

Anti scowled, and Schneep gave him a pointed look.

"Komm, Anti, er ist not  _zat_  bad,"

"I don't care," Anti spat. "He gave all of you special treatment, while I was left alone, not even knowing who I was. I don't trust him with Dark."

Schneep was about to retort, but settled back down. As much as he hated to admit it, Anti had a point. He couldn't discredit the glitch's worries, because they were based upon his own experiences, and that would be like denying the issue even existed. No, Schneep wasn't one to play into a trap waiting to be triggered.

"Vell, vould you rather him be fending for himself out zere, hm? You should be thankful to Jack, for taking him in,"

Anti shivered. "What, so they're friendly now? That's  _perfect_."

" _Anti_ ," Schneep grimaced. "Stop acting like a childish brat und listen. You have unresolved anger, questions you want answered, but you have to put zat all aside now- for heaven's sake, you have a child to vorry about!"

He cautiously stood, offering Anti a hug. Anti looked warily at him with eyes that glowed brighter than ever with frustration, flickering from Schneep's outstretched arms to the ego's concerned expression.

"I don't want to forgive him without talking to him first," Anti huffed, but accepted the embrace begrudgingly, much to Schneep's delight. "I... I'm sorry, Schneep. I know I'm overreacting, but... come on, you heard Wilford too. The... the baby aside, w-why didn't Dark tell me about Will?"

Schneep blinked a few times, not expecting the question. "I am certain zat Dark vould never cheat on you, if zat is your concern-"

Anti shuddered, letting out an angst filled sob and pushing Schneep away roughly. "N-no, that's not what I mean! B-before we were together, before you all even arrived here, when we were close... was he with Wilford all along? I just... those moments are all I have, even though recently we've been together, it just hasn't been the same..."

Schneep looked upon the glitch with worry, rubbing his back in effort to help him calm down.

"Zere zere, mein Bruder..." Schneep whispered, letting Anti's grip on him tighten. Apparently, this entire thing was going on long before the news of his unborn baby. The confusion, the anger, the regret... it was just this revelation that had tipped him over the edge. Wilford's words couldn't have helped the matter either, come to think of it.

"Vould you like to talk about it?"

Anti met his eyes again. This time, the anger had retreated and in its wake left fear, hurt, and a hint of sadness.

"Y-yeah," Anti sniffed. "I uh... I'll start at the beginning..."

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Blank!"

Blank jumped, turning to face someone with a face identical to his own. Someone that he didn't particularly like, for she always came to Blank for advice about general things like how to operate a television (how she'd summoned one in the first place was beyond Blank) or how to use twitter (not that they could- Google and Bing were the only wireless internet providers in the entire Void).

"H-hey, Mrs Thompson," Blank stuttered.

"It's a good thing I've found you! I can't seem to find my granny flat and my FPS isn't working!"

Blank groaned aloud, holding his head in his hands. "You mean your GPS? There's no geography here, Mrs Thompson. Your house is gone because you faded,"

"I've still got a few years left in me, I can't believe you'd say such a thing!"

Blank grumbled something unintelligible under his breath. Why couldn't this woman stay dead? It was common, for Ethan's egos anyway, to experience brief fades due to lack of a following. Blank was the least fortunate of them all, in his opinion. Because more people knew about him due to Anti and Dark's presence, he was almost always awake and conscious. He wished he could be like Mrs Thompson, Mad Mike and Father Ethan. They all would just appear again one day, not knowing they'd even been gone, and could disappear again within hours.

Except Blank sometimes wished for something a little more permanent.

"Sure, Mrs Thompson," Blank grimaced, rolling his eyes. "I'm not helping you again, one day you're going to have to be independent,"

Mrs Thompson scoffed at him. "Where's that rodent boy, he's certainly more of a gentleman than you..."

Blank tensed, the memories of Yan's question still fresh in his mind. The turmoil he'd faced, the tears he'd shed, coming back up for more. He sniffed, holding his oversized sleeves to his eyes. "I... I don't have to be here,"

"Blank! You get back here!"

Blank didn't listen to the old crone, speedwalking as far away as he could possibly manage with his tiny legs. She wouldn't follow. With any luck, she'd fade within the day and Blank could go back to moping about the shameful moments in his life. 

But it seemed today wasn't his lucky day at all.

He bumped into someone for the second time today, falling to the ground and praying to whatever god had condemned him to this life that it wasn't the Postman.

"Oh dear- are you alright?"

Fuck.  _Fuck, not you!_

"F-fine!" Blank snapped, turning on his heel again and trying to get away from the man he was currently becoming infatuated with. Xyler pursued him, concern written all over his face, and that did nothing to help Blank's anxiety. He walked a little faster, but Xyler was younger than Mrs Thompson by a mile. He caught up to Blank and gripped his arm tightly, though not hard enough to hurt. 

Blank sniffed once more. "G-go away, Xy..."

"Blank... you're not alright, are you? Let's get you inside-"

"NO!"

Blank wrenched himself free from Xyler's grip, breathing heavily as he stared at the taller man's confused expression. He couldn't go back there- not after leaving so suddenly, and definitely not with Xyler! The last thing he wanted to do was to offend King by acting all loved up next to another man when their breakup hadn't even been official!

"Blank, please," Xyler started, inching forward while Blank took a step back. Why wasn't he running? He should be trying to get away.

But he stood still, transfixed, hating every minute as Xyler drew ever nearer.

After what seemed an eternity, yet also too quick to realise, Xyler's glove touched Blank's cheek, and the young ego looked up nervously.

"Are you scared of me?" Xyler asked innocently. Blank took a deep, shuddering breath.

"I don't want to go back," Blank uttered.

There was tense silence for a few moments, before Blank felt himself encompassed by warmth. He opened his eyes, not having realised they'd been closed, and found that Xyler was hugging him.

Blank hadn't been hugged in a long time.

"G-get off," Blank spat half-heartedly, feebly making an attempt to push Xyler away. Of course, he didn't really want Xyler to stop, but he didn't want Xyler to think he was a freak.

_But that's what you are, isn't it? Someone who falls in love quick as breathing? Someone with black eyes, when even Anti has green in his? You're not worth it, why delude him into thinking you are?_

Blank sniffed again, instinctively burying his face in Xyler's shoulder, before proceeding to berate himself for accepting the gesture. Xyler gave him a small squeeze, before loosening his grip.

"It seems you didn't want me to leave, after all," Xyler smiled softly, while Blank averted his eyes, biting his lip.

Xyler's gaze quickly turned worried. "I'm terribly sorry if I offended you, I simply wanted to calm you down, you seemed to be in an awful state. But if I'm honest I... I do have the feeling we knew each other once. I'm not usually so forward, but... something about you just seems so familiar..."

Blank didn't want to speak. He didn't want to say that he felt the same because that was like justifying his sudden attraction and that was something Blank knew wasn't right to do. He closed his teary eyes and broke the embrace, missing it sorely after his torso met the chilled atmosphere of the Void.

"N-no," Blank stuttered. "We haven't m-met, and... and I don't want your help,"

This time, Xyler didn't follow Blank when he broke into a run, willing to take even Mrs Thompson instead of this. A part of him sunk as he ran, feeling somewhat more devoid of hope than usual. He wondered for a while what had caused it, before coming to a halt with the realisation that he'd really wanted Xyler to follow him after all. He really wanted to be worth it to someone, worth it to himself, and he had nobody else in his life before today that would ever even break a sweat for him. Xyler had been willing, but he'd stopped, and somehow that hurt Blank even more than the idea of facing King again.

He'd had hope. He'd had another chance, and he blew it.

Why couldn't he do anything right?

**~Groundlands~**

"Oh my god, is that Mark?"

"Go talk to him!"

"No way, what if it isn't him?"

"Who else has a jaw like that, Linda? Come on, we should just go and say hi..."

Two girls crossed the busy street, arms laden with groceries, to say hello to a rugged looking man in a dark coat and jeans. He wasn't looking their way, but they were so certain of his identity that they were willing to take the risk. Though they didn't see Amy or Ethan, or anyone nearby, with his face and his build, he had to be Markiplier.

Linda and Sophie rushed over, nearly dropping their week's supply of food on their way to meet the man who had saved their lives, before noticing something odd. Was Mark... smoking?

"Is that a really cheap cigarette or am I just getting nostalgia?" Sophie asked Linda, crinkling her nose in disgust. She'd smoked all through high school before quitting, and now she couldn't stand the stench of tobacco. She couldn't believe she'd ever wagged class for this.

"Huh, you'd think he'd at least have Kents on him, he's definitely got the cash,"

"Linda!"

"Shh, Sophie, he's looking at us! Okay, go say hi!"

"No, you do it!"

"Is something the matter, ladies?"

Linda and Sophie shared a brief look. On one hand, he and Mark were almost identical. This man's jaw was a little high and his eyebrows a little far apart (Linda would know, she'd drawn enough fan art to fill ten sketchbooks), but that could all be put down to camera angles, she supposed. His voice was a little deep, but perhaps he was just coming down with something. Though Summer wasn't a common time to catch a cold...

"H-hi Mark, we're huge fans," Sophie gushed, her cheeks heating up.

"Yeah, I can't believe you're in Irvine, where's Amy?"

Mark looked taken aback for a moment, but Linda supposed she could chalk it up to the fact he'd been approached by two strangers who probably wanted his autograph. Definitely wanted his autograph.

"Linda!" Sophie chastised. "That's personal! Um, sorry, we're just so happy we saw you! You saved me when I was at my lowest and I can't believe I'm finally meeting you I just..."

Linda tsked and patted Sophie on the back, silently fangirling just as much as she was. "Sorry, Mark, we're a mess,"

Mark only smiled, seemingly shaken from whatever funk he'd fallen into. "It's no problem, no problem at all- did you two want an autograph?"

"Oh, I haven't got anything!" Sophie sighed. "But can we have a selfie?"

Mark blinked for a few moments, as if he didn't truly understand what a selfie was. But that was absurd- most of his pictures were selfies with Chica, weren't they?

Linda frowned. Something about this situation seemed off.

"Sure," Mark answered after only a little delay, and both girls posed for a quick picture before their bus pulled in. Then, they regretfully picked up their bags and started to board.

"I still can't believe that happened," Sophie grinned. Linda couldn't help but smile in return, but was quick to notice something strange.

"Hey... is Mark getting on the bus?"

Sophie met her gaze, frowning. "Wouldn't he have brought his van or something- I thought he didn't do public transport,"

"I don't know why he'd be in Irvine, of all places. Compared to LA, it's hardly a hot spot," Linda sighed, observing Mark as he took a seat at the back, seemingly unaware of the fact that at any point in time he could be mobbed by other, less considerate fans.

When he noticed them, he shot them a small smile, but didn't make any conversation.

Sophie sighed wistfully. "What filter should I use?"

"For my face? Eugh, the puppy one,"

"Ooh right! That'd be so cute, oh my god,"

"Are you going to post it?"

Sophie grinned. "Only on every platform- I can't help it, Linda, you know me. I'm an attention whore,"

Linda rolled her eyes fondly. "Okay babe, let's get the ice cream home before we melt it with our cringe,"

Sophie scoffed with a smile, leaning into Linda's side as the bus began to move. "You mean your cringe- I'm sexy and I know it,"

Markiplier watched the two giggling girls with a small frown. It wasn't the fact that they were a couple that bothered him- no, Mark was many things but a homophobe was not one of them. It was the idea that perhaps, they knew too much. The brunette certainly seemed to think something was up, and Mark just couldn't have anyone raising suspicion. He was still a wanted man- corpse, whatever- after all. He gritted his teeth, letting a single tear fall before hastily wiping his face. He hated to do this, but he really had no choice.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

_"The bodies of two young adults were found beaten and bloodied this evening in an alley in Irvine's western suburbs. The girls; Linda, 22, and Sophie, 24, had been seen earlier in Irvine's shopping district where they were reportedly carrying bags of groceries which were not able to be located at the scene of their death. The parents of these young women were notified immediately, and their input has brought some disturbing theories about their murder to light."_

_The screen cut to a woman, sobbing, a man presumed to be her husband sitting beside her. Her title, as listed on the screen, was 'Hannah Glenwin- mother of the victim'._

_"My sweet Linda was always kind hearted," the woman sobbed, the death of her only daughter still fresh in her mind. "We were always very supportive of her, and her decisions, you know? When she told us she liked girls, we stood by her because we knew, we knew even though we're a Christian household that our faith in her is greater than our faith in God, we'd never betray her trust,"_

_"So you believe it was a hate crime, then?"_

_"Yes, that is my belief," Hannah shuddered. "When we got the autopsy reports back and it was noted that both the girls were missing their engagement rings, that's when I thought it must be more than a simple hit and run robbery- they still had their iPhones with them, you know? A robber would've taken them. I... I think this attack was prompted by their displays of affection. With so many people still around who despise same sex relationships, it's all too possible, isn't it?"_

_The screen cut once again to the initial reporter. "Any leads on who these girls might have been seen with before their deaths will be much appreciated, and we here at Fox News urge all young men and women to be cautious. Until the killer is found, the streets shouldn't be considered safe,"_


	8. Chapter 7

**~Void~**

"Do you think anyone heard?"

King looked around the noticeably close rooms- it was a good thing they were only under Dark's quarters, not anybody who was actually going to call them out. If anyone had heard Anti screaming about how they were faking their relationship, they'd be doomed. Ridiculed.

"No," King said, though he was only half certain. "We should be fine, just... quick,"

Bim sighed as he looked at his peanut butter covered hands, feeling dirty in more ways than one. "You really think walking around with peanut butter on my ass is going to convince them?"

King rolled his eyes. "Who else has peanut butter here?"

"Yeah, but it's not on your  _hands_ ," Bim huffed.

King looked him up and down, noting his poor posture and the rings around his eyes. "You haven't been sleeping, have you?"

Bim flushed. "I- I don't need-"

King sighed. "That's bullshit, Bim, you're not as strong as you used to be. You could fade at any moment and you wouldn't even know why- you need all the rest you can get,"

"But-"

"Bim, listen to me," King commanded. "I'm older than you, I know what's best,"

Bim scoffed. "Right, of course you do. Dark would kill me if I sat down anywhere knowingly with peanut butter on my ass,"

"Well it's a good thing he's not here," King responded. "Look we don't have to do it, we can just say we broke up or something-"

"No!" Bim interrupted, fiddling with some chunky pieces of spread between his fingers. Eugh.

King raised an eyebrow. "No...?"

"I-I... I don't want to stop. Not yet,"

Bim didn't know why he'd disagreed in the first place. It would all be so easy to move on and forget this happened, seeing as he clearly wasn't happy with how Wilford had reacted, and that had been the only point of this, right? But no, something within Bim didn't want this to end. Was it that he liked the company? Was he holding out hope that Wilford would finally confront him so he could get closure? He wasn't sure, but he couldn't back out of it now.

King didn't look very convinced, but he nodded anyway. "Okay. And seeing as you're not going to do anything with that peanut butter, can you wipe it back into the jar? Dark would kill me if I spilled any,"

Bim met his eyes challengingly. "You  _just_  said-"

"What was that, Peanut?" King smirked.

Bim looked horrified. "Don't... don't bring me into your weird nut fetish, Squirrels, I swear-"

King only laughed. "I was just teasing, it doesn't take much to get you to turn red, huh?"

Bim flushed further. "Sh-shut up,"

"Make me," King teased, sticking his tongue out cheekily. Bim sighed, turning even redder as he wiped away the peanut butter from his hands- was King meaning to be so flirty? He didn't want to comment on it- King was one of his closest (and only) friends, and he didn't want things to become awkward between them.

_Well, isn't that ironic. At some point, you're going to have to start kissing in public- how long are you going to keep up this charade, Trimmer?_

"This stuff is nightmare fuel," Bim groaned. "I need a sink- King, can you come open the door for me?"

"Sure thing, sweetheart,"

Bim stopped himself from sighing aloud. King was probably only talking like this in case people were listening- he shouldn't be frustrated because of that. They made their way upstairs and down the hall, all the way to the room Bim shared with Silver. The superhero was currently lying on his bed, reading a book. He didn't spare the two a glance as they made their way to the ensuite, where Bim got the first good look at himself in days.

"Dear God I look like death," Bim moaned aloud. King patted his back, before realising that his hands were still covered in peanut butter, and now Bim was covered in the stuff.

"Whoops," King commented, licking his finger and trying to wipe it away, to no avail. "Sorry Bim, I've got nuts on your suit,"

"Don't nut on my-"

Bim stopped halfway through his sentence, and King was surprised he had blood anywhere else in his body at this point- he was redder than Yan's hair, and that was saying something.

King couldn't help but snort. "I'll only nut where you want me to, then,"

"Oh my god,  _stop_ ," Bim groaned, but even he cracked a smile. There was a harsh knock on the door.

"Whatever you two do in there, clean it up afterwards!"

Bim was about to answer, but King shushed him with a nutty finger to his lips.

"Sorry, Silver!" He called cheerily. "We'll be quiet next time!"

Bim licked his lips to get rid of the excess spread, shaking his head in embarrassment. "Dear God..."

"Hey, it's all helping the idea that we're together, isn't that what you want?"

Bim didn't really know what he wanted. But he knew that despite how much of a trainwreck this was turning out to be, some part of him didn't really want it to end.

"Sure," Bim sighed. "Sure- but now he thinks we're fucking in here, what do we do?"

"Well, you need a new outfit anyway, so you might as well take off your tux," King suggested.

"I didn't think you'd ask me to strip, I'll be perfectly honest with you," Bim sighed further, shrugging away his peanut covered tuxedo and moving to summon a new one.

"No way, you're not doing anything extra until I say you can, I don't want you to fade," King warned, swatting at his hand. "Besides- there's more peanut butter here,"

King gestured to a section near Bim's collar that was smeared with pasty brown, and Bim grimaced.

"Alright, but... what am I supposed to wear?"

"I'll get you something," King promised. "I keep a collection of outfits so I don't fade trying to make more when I need them."

Bim unbuttoned his shirt and balled it into a pile with his tux, leaving his pants on. There was no need to expose himself any further, after all- though Mark's egos were all similar enough, some were taller than others, some were fitter, and they were all different in their own way. Coming from a time before Mark had dedicated himself to working out, Bim was fairly self conscious of his own form when he compared himself to his brethren. He didn't get the chance to see many of them without a shirt, but he knew Dr. Iplier was buff, and from the time he'd walked in on Marvin and Yan he knew Yan's body was nothing to scoff at.

He'd been up close and personal with Wilford many times, but the man had never really changed. His muscles and smooth skin had been there for as long as Bim could remember, even before Mark got into shape.

Bim shook himself out of thinking about Wilford shirtless. Somehow, being in the same room as King made him feel even dirtier about his strange attractions. Every other Iplier had fallen for a Septiceye- well, except King, but none had been attracted to one of their own before. He couldn't help but wonder if the others thought he was weird and unnatural because of this- after all, the Ipliers always referred to each other as brothers.

Well, Bim could say for certain that the line between brother and lover had been crossed between him and Wilford before, and nobody seemed to have an issue with it. But then, the fact that Wilford liked to use Bim in his sexual exploits wasn't really highly publicised either.

"Hey, Bim? You alright there buddy?"

Bim blinked, bringing himself back from his thoughts. Peanut butter. New shirt. Right.

"Okay, let's go," Bim sighed, opening the door. Silver looked up from the book he was reading, fixing them with a strange look. He didn't say anything as Bim walked from the room, head held a little in shame. He didn't like exposure.

"Come on," King said soothingly, wrapping an arm around Bim's waist. "You remember where my room is, right?"

"How could I not? I trip over acorns in that hallway all the time," Bim scoffed. King grinned in response.

"That'd be Molly- she's a forgetful one,"

"Molly?" Bim asked uncertainly. "She one of your pets?"

"Yeah," King sighed wistfully. "She's the oldest of the bunch- I've never figured out how to keep them young like us. Blank helped name her,"

Bim felt his heart sink a little, but he couldn't explain why. He wrote it off as second hand sympathy, and glanced to his side, watching as King smiled sadly.

"Blank, huh?"

"Yeah, I miss him sometimes," King shrugged, though Bim could tell he cared a lot more than he was letting on. "Gets a little lonely. But it's fine, I... I'd rather he live his life happy somewhere else than stay here. He mustn't have liked it if he ran away,"

"Sorry," Bim uttered, snaking his own arm around King's waist to give him a squeeze of reassurance. "I know... I know how much it hurt you when he left,"

King sighed. "There's no point dwelling on it- to be honest, I've forgotten most of what happened between us. I'd rather spend time with you than mope about something I used to have,"

"Right," Bim said uncertainly. He knew he shouldn't push King to tell him anything, especially when he didn't know the details as well as he should. He really had no grounds to even make the assumption that King was hung up on him at all.

But then why did he feel the urge to make King happy again?

"Okay, where are your shirts?" Bim asked, entering King's room-turned-greenhouse, and looking around. All he could see was greenery, mixed with various hordes of squirrels.

"Oh, I don't wear shirts," King supplied, tossing Bim a large, thick piece of fabric. "You can have a robe,"

"A... robe?" Bim said in surprise, looking it over. Truthfully, he'd never worn anything but the occasional bedclothes and his suit, and shuffling it around, he couldn't even find where his head was supposed to go. "How do I...?"

King looked over and tsked. "Really, you're not  _that_  hopeless, you'll make it work."

Bim sighed. What was this all coming to?

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"I see," Henrik muttered, making notes in a pad of paper he'd summoned about halfway through Anti's recount. "So you've been feeling zis emotional pain for many years, ja?"

"Ever since The Author first arrived," Anti sniffed, wiping his eyes. His face had become red and blotchy with every memory he'd recollected, every time he'd had to remember a moment he felt disconnected and shunned by everyone around him. "I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to keep you,"

Henrik waved the apology away. "Now now, none of zat. Ich bin ein doktor, es ist my job to listen und care for you. I vant you to get some rest, Anti- you're weak at ze knees vith vorry und heartache. Vhen you awaken, I vill speak again vith you."

Anti bit his lip, giving a halfhearted nod.

Henrik's eyes narrowed. "Anti. Don't hurt yourself- not to get to Dark, und especially not to punish yourself. You deserve better zhan you think, am I clear?"

Anti's slumped slightly. It seemed Henrik had predicted his next move perfectly.

"I... okay. I trust you,"

"Good," Henrik said, giving Anti one last hug. "I imagine Dark vouldn't mind if you used his bedroom, given zat zere are no other vacancies. I vould offer you mein own bed, but I share vith Doc,"

Anti swallowed as he nodded fresh tears streaming from his eyes and mixing with the blood weeping from his neck. Henrik patted his back softly as he sent his older brother off, looking over his notes with a prolonged sigh.

 _Oh, Anti... I knew it was bad, but I never thought it would be_ this  _bad..._

"Hen?"

Henrik didn't even smile as Dr. Iplier entered the room, looking worried.

"Hen, you've been in here for five hours- I had Google keep time, I was worried,"

Henrik sighed again, beckoning his fiance closer. "Und you vere right to be worried- I fear Anti's condition is far vorse zhan ve previously thought,"

Dr. Iplier's face fell. "Oh, no..."

Henrik tittered. "Unfortunately so- ve had a lot to talk about, und zis vas barely ze beginning. I have only learned a little, but I gather zat he has severe depression und mild agoraphobia, adding onto his generalised anxiety disorder. I also fear zat he is bipolar- though I vill have to complete further sessions vith him to confirm zat. He could just as easily be written off as schizophrenic- perhaps he even has both. I assume zat similar to ze rest of us, he has ADHD und he also seems to have a lot of obsessive compulsive behaviours,"

Dr. Iplier sat back, stunned. "Christ... and that isn't all, is it?"

Henrik shook his head sadly. "Nein, I vish it vere ze case. He has told me he hears voices vhen he is stressed- zhis is vhat clued me in on his possible schizophrenia. He self harms regularly- from vhat I have gathered, at least vonce daily, und zat is including ze kinky things he und Dark do in ze bedroom. I trust you vith zis information, Doc, though he vouldn't appreciate it getting out- he doesn't harm himself as punishment, at least, not always. It is... sort of a fetish for him, you understand? It's an addiction I am hoping to curb over time, as it is unhealthy when combined vith his current mental state,"

Dr. Iplier swallowed as he nodded. "Do you think he'll let me look over the notes?"

"I vill ask him vhen ve next meet," Henrik decided, letting Dr. Iplier approach and embrace him. He set his paper down.

"Trust me," Henrik sighed, running his hand through Dr. Iplier's hair in effort to soothe his stiff fingers. "Though it is important to know for us to help him, it... it's very sad. He has been at var vith himself as vell as us for ze past five years at least, vith nobody to turn to. He has been very... alone,"

"I hope he'll get better," Dr. Iplier put forward. Henrik smiled against the brief kiss they then shared, easing himself into a more comfortable position, sitting in his lover's lap as they occupied the theater's plush chairs.

"Me too, Doc," Henrik agreed. "I am tired now- vould you like to come vith me und accompany my day nap?"

"Just a nap?" Dr. Iplier smirked a little suggestively. Henrik snorted in response.

"Vhatever happened to vaiting for marriage?"

"That's not what you were saying last night,"

"Vell, I suppose it can't hurt... you know, unless you vant it to,"

Dr. Iplier leaned in for another kiss, picking up the notepad before any other ego could get to it. Though he was curious to know about Anti's condition, he would wait to see if the glitch trusted him at all before he even asked about it. He slipped it into his lover's pocket as their coats swiftly came off, their shirts soon to follow. They fell into a heap on the doctors' bedroom floor, to be forgotten until duty once again called.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Anti opened the door to Dark's quarters, feeling empty and numb and sore all over. His head had begun to pound, his eyes felt like sandpaper, and his voice had become hoarse. The house seemed to echo how he was feeling, soundless until Anti stepped forward, hearing the door creak as he pushed it a little farther.

The room was never this uninviting. Back when Dark and Anti were still friends, before everything had fallen apart, he'd used to sit and read with Dark in here. The room was lit by candlelight and it smelled of rich wine and dark chocolate, and the books they'd read told stories of forbidden romance, and great adventures, and castles deep in the woods.

Anti missed those days. Even these past two months had felt strangely unfamiliar, like he was living with someone else entirely. There was no time for chocolate or wine, no time for reading. The brief moments they'd spend together were taken up by sex, and by the time Anti had awoken the next day Dark had gone. He knew Dark didn't mean to be away. He knew that there were way more egos, way more people here to keep track of than there used to be.

That wasn't the problem.

He felt  _he_ was the problem- not Dark, nor the others. It could all be traced back to him, couldn't it? It was all  _his_  desire to get closer, his own selfishness, his own disgruntled behaviour when Dark left him alone, wasn't it? It was all his own temper, his own reactions, his own goddamn self pity.

_Fookin look at yourself, you're a joke. You're not ready for a baby..._

And then there was the matter of the baby. The  _baby_. Even now, it hadn't seemed to have sunk in that Anti was going to be a father. His mind skipped over it, accepting it, postponing his crisis in light of the news that Dark had slept with Wilford multiple times before. At the time, Anti's rage had overcome his worry, but then, that was all his own fault as well, wasn't it?

_A child... I hope they're nothing like me._

Anti was very aware that he was a problem. He didn't want anyone to go through what he had, especially since he had very little reason to feel so down in the first place. Not only that, but the very traits he possessed would be a nightmare to tame in a child- with his over activity, his terrible sleep hygiene, his tendency to shout to get his point across. He had a bad temper and he knew it, and he only wished he'd thought to ask if Dark could get pregnant if only to save him from the burden of raising someone just like Anti.

Because, it all boiled down the the fact that Dark had already had to deal with Anti once. If Anti trusted himself at all with caring for a child, he'd insist on being the sole parent. Dark didn't deserve any of his shit. Why was he still here, when he had a house of his own, waiting for him? Why did he let himself slip into the bed as if nothing was wrong, when each time the fabric brushed his skin he felt even worse?

_Did Wilford sleep in this bed once?_

Anti didn't know who to trust anymore. Schneep? The man seemed insistent that Anti was innocent, but how could that be true? There was blood on his hands, blood from years ago, murders he wished he could have prevented. Ties he wished he hadn't broken. Lives he wished he hadn't ruined. How could all of that be true, while Schneep was right? No, he was only feeding Anti positivity, hoping to keep him from making any more stupid mistakes.

Wilford? The man was untrustworthy anyway, given his complete lack of a moral code, but since finding out that Wilford slept with Dark- possibly still was considering his wording of the phrase, Anti didn't know what to do about him. He'd wanted to hurt Wilford- he'd wanted to slit his throat and leave him there to die a slow, painful death, but he hadn't.

_But the fact that you wanted to is bad enough. You're a monster._

And Dark- how could he trust a word that came out of his mouth? Dark had always sworn he was beautiful, amazing, his closest friend, but if he and Wilford were together, surely that had to be false. Every whisper, every compliment, everything Anti had lived by- did any of it matter?

 _You're horrible, you barged in on his life, got him pregnant, and now he has to live away from home because of_ you _. Your siblings are always fighting because of_ you _. It's all_ your  _fault._

Anti clutched the pillow beside him desperately, fresh tears escaping before he could even fix his previous dehydration. Could he do anything right? All he wanted was for Dark to come back, so he could hold him, and hug him, and kiss him, and apologise, and  _fuck_ , he wanted to see his baby too.

He just wanted all of this to go away.

_Selfish._

_Disgusting._

_Worthless._

_Victim._


	9. Chapter 8

**~Groundlands~**

"Have a nice sleep?" Seán asked as Dark rubbed her bleary eyes, stirring finally after five long hours of stiffness. The plane had just landed, and though Dark wasn't entirely conscious for it, she could still feel the upset she associated with air travel beading up inside her, crawling within her skin. She grimaced.

"It wasn't terrible," Dark sighed, stumbling slightly as she left her seat, desperate to get off this terrifying machine. How had they managed to become even more fear-inducing than the ones in the thirties? She caught herself on another, vacated seat, noting that most of the passengers had already left. She figured she couldn't blame them.

"Sorry, I should've-"

"No, Seán, don't forget that I'm still an otherworldly being," Dark huffed. She stumbled again as she attempted to weave through the airplane seats, breaths becoming increasingly more rapid. Seán dropped the bag he was holding, rushing to her side just as she collapsed. Her eyes were closed in bitterness, clutching Seán's hand despite herself, looking angrier than Seán had ever seen her- but he had a feeling her malice wasn't directed at him.

"I hate being this weak," Dark grumbled, hoisting herself up.

"Just... just let me help you, man," Seán sighed. "I know you're independent and all, but I don't want you to hurt yourself, or your kid,"

Dark begrudgingly let Seán assist her as they left the plane, collecting their luggage and making for the closest seat. After Dark's dizzy spell, Seán wasn't sure he was going to let the man- woman- demon out of his sight again. She was clearly in no state to be out and about- he only hoped Mark would be kind enough to let her stay, given that Seán planned to hop from place to place within California and he wasn't sure he should take the demon with him.

"Thank you for putting up with my nonsense," Dark voiced her gratitude, sitting carefully on the bench. Part of her hated to admit that wearing this maternity dress made her feel comfortable- Dark had been opposed to wearing dresses for years, after all, but her old suit just wasn't cut out for this body type.

"You're welcome," Seán muttered, scanning the crowd. "I don't see her- maybe she's running late,"

Dark cracked a small smile, waving at someone Seán couldn't see. "She's right here, Seán, you're stressing too much,"

Seán whipped around- sure enough, Amy was approaching them, Tyler by her side. He smiled warmly, though he was a little embarrassed that he hadn't been able to spot them- how did Dark even know them?

"Amy," Seán grinned in relief, pulling Mark's girlfriend into a hug. "How've you been?"

Amy smiled in return, but Seán could see the lines of worry on her face. Not that he'd mention it to her, of course. You never tell a girl she looks like death, even when she does.

"Today's been a weird ride," she shrugged, clearly not willing to talk freely about the matter. "But I've been fine, how about you? You settling into the single life okay?"

Seán rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I mean, I haven't really been out of the house to take advantage of it, so hopefully that'll change sometime soon. What about you, Tyler?"

"Mark's been pushing us all lately," Tyler sighed. "He's really getting himself worked up about those two girls,"

Dark and Seán shared a hasty glance, fixing the two with an alarmed glare each. If the situation wasn't so dire, their mirroring might have been humourous.

"Wait, what? What girls?" Seán asked, praying for anything but what came to mind. Was it girls that had started rape rumours again? Or girls that had leaked his private pictures? Or girls that... that did anything else to cause a scandal? Seán didn't know what the daily tea was, and it was very clear to everyone he spoke to.

"Oh... sorry, I forgot you've been on a plane," Tyler apologised, looking uneasy. "Last night's news- a murder in Irvine, people are saying Mark was the last person that saw them, but Mark's been here the whole time,"

"What, so they're trying to start drama? In wake of someone's death, that's- that's horrible," Seán frowned.

"No, no, the weird part is that a picture went viral- it was uploaded by one of the victims, and it's Mark taking a selfie with them. I'll show you when we get back, I forgot my phone,"

Dark felt someone tap her shoulder, looking up to see Amy smiling at her. That was certainly a welcome, if unexpected turn of events. She'd expected some form of verbal assault, and she'd have taken every word of it, knowing that her crimes against Seán were far too great to be forgotten with one apology.

She blinked, a little off guard. "Amy?"

Despite knowing who she was and what she looked like, Dark had never been formally introduced to Amy before. It was a wonder the two even knew who she was, given that she'd never met Tyler as a woman before- and she certainly didn't resemble the woman that Mark cast to play Celine in his little skit. Sure, she bore almond eyes and raven hair, but her chin was more defined, and her face was less round.

Amy's eyes twinkled with mirth. "Yep, in the flesh. Dark, right?"

"Correct," Dark smiled softly. At least she was treating Dark with enough respect not to garner unwanted attention. Tyler seemed to do a double take, eyes flickering again to Dark, suddenly seeming to figure out who she really was. The man hadn't changed much since he was a child, it seemed. Always the last in on the joke.

"Wait,  _you're_ Dark? I thought he was in the bathroom or something, you look... different,"

"That is because I'm not the Dark you knew," Dark started, glancing around nervously- there were at least three internet personalities here, and they were bound to gather a crowd if they didn't leave the airport now. "I feel it might be best to continue this conversation elsewhere, away from prying ears and eyes,"

"Yeah, that'd be best," Seán agreed.

"Well, we got a taxi here so I guess we're going back the same way," Tyler sighed. "Ready, Amy?"

"I'm fine," Amy agreed. She linked her fingers with Dark's and helped pull the heavier woman up, not questioning the extremely obvious bump that was protruding from Dark's abdomen. Did she already know? How could she, when Seán hadn't even told Mark yet? But with a quick scan of her current thoughts, Dark knew that she suspected, at the very least, that Dark was carrying a child.

"Thank you," Dark commented, steadying herself before letting go of Amy's arm. "I've been finding it difficult as of late to stand, it is much less convenient than usual,"

Amy chuckled. "I can imagine. So, you're bigender then?"

Dark contemplated it for a moment. She'd never really cared for her gender identity- after all, she never really showed her female form to the people she associated with. Even before the other egos, she'd never found the courage to let Will see her looking so similar to Celine.

"I suppose I'd call it genderfluid," Dark sighed. "Though often my body changes to match my current gender. It's... complicated, to say the least,"

Amy seemed content with that answer, moving on to talk about how Mark might react to Dark's presence.

"He knows you're coming, obviously," Amy explained, "but he's been stressed, like Tyler said. With the whole Mark Doom thing, then this murder- he's been called by the police several times, and now he doesn't hear his phone go off without cursing, it's driving him nuts,"

"...Dark?"

Dark had stopped as if she'd been smacked. "Did you say... Mark Doom? As in the actor, Mark Doom?"

"Yeah," Amy filled in, looking concerned. Well, everyone but Tyler had the emotion written all over their faces, if Dark was honest. "He used to own the place we filmed Who Killed Markiplier in- you knew him, or something?"

Dark grimaced. "I'm his ex-wife, actually. It's a long story,"

"You mean everything from Who Killed Markiplier was actually true?" Tyler asked, confusion blossoming across his features. Dark continued walking, thinking that they could at least have this conversation productively, though her mind was reeling. Mark Doom... there was a name she hadn't heard in many years. Why had he graced the news again? She'd have to ask Mark about it, once he got over the initial shock of her appearance.

"Yes- I told Mark the whole story, and he decided to build upon it. I am a being comprised of two souls and a demon, though Mark left the force behind our presence up to the viewers to decide. I'd hoped it would bring Wilford back from insanity, but... if anything, it made him worse,"

"Right," Amy sighed. "Sometimes I forget that you're both real people too. That sucks,"

"Indeed," Dark replied, waiting patiently as Tyler hailed a cab. "My... I suppose I should get in first,"

"Wait," Seán interrupted, holding out his hand to stop Dark from getting into the vehicle that had just pulled up. "Let's be logical- Dark's uncomfortable and doesn't know a thing about modern society, she shouldn't sit with the driver."

"She's very obviously pregnant, Seán, you'd rather her sit in the back?" Amy argued. Tyler blanched.

"Wait, you're not, right?"

"That is neither here nor there," Dark grimaced. "I would rather avoid the small talk, actually. I will take the back seat,"

"I'll take the front," Seán said, greeting the cab driver. "You two should probably adjust to the fact that Dark's having a baby before we even begin to get Mark involved,"

"But how can... you know what, nevermind. I don't need to know,"

Amy tsked as she allowed Dark to get in, climbing across to the middle and letting Tyler sit next to her. "Mark's not gonna be happy. He tells me all the time about how fanfiction isn't real but if it was, he'd definitely be the top,"

Dark cracked a small smile as the statement became lighthearted. For a second there, Amy really had him worried.

"You approve, then, of my interest in men?"

"It's 2018, Dark, you can be who you want," Amy urged. "Though I must say a 3D special effects demon isn't the top of my list,"

"I'm still just lost as to who the father is," Tyler sighed.

"It's..." Dark began.

_ 'Should we trust them?' _

_'Well, it's not hard to piece together. Seán would probably tell them anyway,'_

_ 'As long as you're alright with it,' _

"Anti," Dark spoke with a hint of fondness. It seemed even when he was apart from the glitch, his heart was warmed every time he was mentioned.

Tyler started in his seat- thank God Seán was distracting the driver enough that the man didn't notice. "No... I refuse to believe that you, Warfstache,  _and_  Antisepticeye are all real, it's not true,"

"Tyler," Amy warned. "He had to get the kid from somewhere- why would he lie? Hey, Seán!"

"Yeah?"

"Is Dark really with your weird brother?"

"I don't... oh.  _Oh_ , uh, yeah. I'll explain later,"

"You see?" Dark questioned. Tyler didn't have a response, other than to hold his head in his hands. He let out a long groan.

"Mark won't like that either," Amy stated. "But he'll get over it- um... sorry for asking, but how come you're here with Seán and not with Antisepticeye?"

"He prefers Antithesis, as that is his true name," Dark corrected. "It's... also complicated. It concerns matters that shouldn't be openly discussed, but to put a long story short, we had an argument."

"Oh," Amy said quietly. "Did he... did he not want the baby?"

Dark sighed, resting her head in her hands. "I never got the chance to tell him- I only found out three days ago myself,"

"That doesn't look like something that can go unnoticed," Tyler pointed out. "How far along are you?"

"I am not sure," Dark replied honestly. "The doctors had proposed a date, but considering that I couldn't possibly have conceived at that time, I am left to wonder. I suspect this isn't an ordinary child by any stretch of the word- in fact, she seems to have doubled in size since I discovered her,"

"Doctors...?" Tyler asked, looking a little sick. Dark patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"I'll give it to you straight, Tyler. Each and every one of Mark's egos, as well as Seán's egos, are real. Though they cannot all use physical forms as Wilford and I have, they exist in a parallel plane to this world. But don't worry- only myself and Wilford can transcend dimensions. You're safe,"

"That's not..." Tyler sighed. "It's just a lot to take in,"

"Well, we're about to have to explain it to Mark in a second so get ready," Amy warned, and Dark supposed they must be approaching Mark's house. She'd never been outside- only inside, and even then only briefly. She was curious to find that there were gardens out the front- well maintained, too. She doubted it was Mark that kept them.

"Thank you for being so understanding, Amy," Dark thanked again, but Amy simply smiled at her in return. It seemed that despite their opposing roles in Mark's life, they could get along with each other just fine.

"I'll talk to him first," Tyler offered, opening the door and giving the driver his payment. Seán held out a hand to help Dark from her seat, and Amy helped steady her when she got to her feet. Dark smiled in gratitude, letting Amy engulf her in a little, friendly hug.

"It'll be fine," Amy reassured her.

"God, I hope so," Seán sighed, waving the cab off. "This house the one?"

"The very same," Amy agreed. Tyler and Seán made for the door, while Amy hovered behind in case Dark needed her help. Dark herself wondered if she should transform back to her male form now, or wait until she was out of the public eye. She decided she could handle it for a few moments longer.

Ethan answered the door, looking somewhat paler than Dark had seen him. Though maybe her memory had been marred by the image of Ethan's ego, Blank, and his insistence to date King despite his severe peanut allergy. It was a miracle the ego wasn't dead before he left- and good for him, Dark felt. Though King was certainly upset, she knew she'd have had to step in herself if Blank got any worse.

But she hadn't spoken to Blank in almost a year now, and the ego was far from the most important thing on her mind as of late. She let herself be shuffled in the door, before stepping aside and making her long awaited change. She made an effort to hide herself as her shoulders grew wider, her jaw stronger, her suit materialising beneath the suddenly suffocating dress. Dark shrugged it off without a second thought, straightening his tie. Though his shirt barely buttoned over the bulge in his stomach, it would do for now. He didn't see Ethan and Tyler's horrified looks as he turned, only having eyes for the German-Korean man now entering the room.

"For the last time, mom, I told you- look, I wasn't even there, I was here with Tyler the whole time,"

_"Then how did they get the picture? It was photoshop?"_

"I don't know!" Mark cried, a little frantically. He hadn't seemed to notice Dark's presence yet, too focused on the conversation he was having. "Maybe- I've had enough of the police calling, news channels requesting interviews, I just want to live my life! Yes, look, I know- I know it's all suspicious, but I'll be fine- I can handle... fuck. Sorry! I uh, I have to go,"

Mark ended the call, looking up at his newest guests. His hair was disheveled, his eyes dark and baggy, his shirt on backwards and his skin pale. If Dark thought Amy looked bad, Mark was a whole new level of disorder.

"Seán? Dark? Sorry- I just... things have been hitting the fan. We're going to brunch, right? NOT you, you demon bitch,"

Dark raised an eyebrow. "I honestly expected as much- nor do I care to join you on your lunch date. I am quite exhausted,"

"You sure you can handle it?" Seán asked, and Mark was definitely concerned about just how much Seán appeared to care for Dark's wellbeing.

Before Mark could start speaking, Amy elbowed him in the stomach. "Don't you dare,"

Mark looked at her, flabbergasted. "A-Amy? He's a-"

Amy sighed heavily. "Look at him, Mark- really look at him. Notice anything?"

Mark squinted, but he couldn't really see the difference that Amy was trying to get him to spot.

"What?" Mark asked.

Amy sighed once more. "Just... I'll tell you at brunch. Seán can explain his side, and I'll explain what Dark's told me, and we'll sort this out somewhere you won't take your anger out on him."

Mark didn't look like he wanted to leave the matter alone, but he digressed with a scowl sent in Dark's direction. Dark took a seat in the nearest chair, resting his tired legs. How had this trip taken so much out of him?

"Don't fuck anything up while we're gone," Mark threatened. "Wait, should we bring Chica? I don't know if I trust-"

" _Mark_ ," Sean interrupted. "He wouldn't kill a dog- he's not trying to hurt you,"

"How do I know that?"

"Mark, please," Amy pleaded. "Just... go get real clothes on and we'll talk about it, alright?"

As Mark left the room, Seán turned to the tired looking demon. "Hey, uh... did you want me to leave anything out when I tell them or...?"

Dark shook his head simply. "No, I've nothing more to hide than my sexuality and my pregnancy, he's free to know and understand all that I've told you. If he can let his frustration go and truly listen, that is. Don't threaten him- dealing with the police is certainly stressful on its own, and if Mark Doom has truly made a reappearance... I don't even want to think of the mess he's making. If it's alright with you, I will have a day nap. Carrying this baby is turning out to be much harder work than I had assumed it to be,"

"Come with me, I'll get the guest room ready," Amy offered. She helped Dark to his feet again, and he gave a goodbye wave to Seán, Ethan and Tyler as he disappeared round a hallway.

"You have any cravings?" Amy asked. "We might be able to pick some things up from the mall,"

"Not yet," Dark confided. "But I do have quite the taste for chocolate- not to impose at all, please, only do what you feel you must. I don't deserve to be pampered,"

Amy gave him a sad smile. "Maybe, but you don't deserve to be shunned either. I'll get you some chocolate, just have a good rest. If having a baby is anything like people tell me it is, you're gonna need it,"

"Thank you again, Amy, you've been a brilliant help,"

Amy chuckled as she left, flicking the light off after making sure Dark was seated on the bed. "It's no trouble- really, get some rest. Mark might want to hear the news from the source, and I don't need two tired men arguing today,"

Dark offered her a small grin in return. "I shall rest quite deeply, trust me."

When Amy had left, Dark sighed to himself, shrugging off his top layers and removing his trousers. With his regular clothes folded neatly beside the bed, he held his stomach as he rolled beneath the sheets. His palm never left his midriff, and he rubbed it softly as he felt himself drifting off to sleep. She kicked a few times, though she also seemed weary. She must have exhausted herself on the plane- not that Dark was complaining.

Maybe, she'd inherit Anti's sleeping habits. He supposed he could only hope. But he'd love her with all his heart no matter how she turned out, he knew.

_ 'Are you so confident that the baby is female?' _

_'It's stuck- though when we can hear her thoughts, I am sure she will tell us who she is,'_

_ 'It's just a child, Damien, it's not intelligent enough to convey thoughts in our language until we teach it,' _

_'_ Her _, Celine. Her.'_

_ 'If you insist...' _


	10. Chapter 9

**~Void~**

"So you're a robot, then?" Xyler asked the android ego that sat before him- one that looked like another version of his old master, Mark. Most of the residents of this manor seemed just like him, in fact, and Xyler found himself having to stop his immediate reaction to shove them aside and light them on fire, though the scares were starting to affect him less and less. He'd never have guessed that the man's foolish plans and decisions would continue to haunt him this way- but with him alive and kicking again, perhaps Xyler's fears were justified. Truly, what was stopping Mark from stepping out of the shadows and finishing the job?

Google blinked instinctively, flexing the fingers on his newest arm. He'd never had to be repaired after a fight before- usually, he just let himself fade and returned brand new, like nothing had happened. But the two months he'd spent healing after Bing had thrown him around had brought him some much unwanted perspective. Bing had allowed his quick mind to become clouded with real thoughts, and emotions, and now Google was growing more and more aware that his mannerisms hadn't really even changed at all- and that's what was maddening.

He'd always had emotions. He'd always had feelings. He'd always displayed affection, but he'd justified it as part of his programming. But it  _wasn't_.

How, then, if he was no different from the egos he'd sworn to protect, could he continue to degrade himself? Part of him knew, deep within the code that maintained his form, that he was useless. But he'd never call a living, thinking, feeling human worthless.

He'd never call Bing worthless.

Was  _he_  worthless?

Was he even an android at all?

"Yes," Google answered the newcomer bluntly, not speaking aloud the inner turmoil of his newly discovered mind. "I am a machine."

"Right... uh, the doctor told me that you were the only way to get a message to Earth, and I must correspond with my associate,"

Google raised an eyebrow. "Earth is not the word you mean. This place, this Void... it's all connected to your Earth, it's just hidden away in the psyche of those willful enough to use it. But yes, my nature as an android allows me to send messages over the internet. To whom shall I address the email to?"

Xyler rattled off Chef's gmail account, observing with a start as Google's eyes lit up unnaturally. A screen was projected before him, from the logo on Google's chest, and the android seemed to go motionless. Xyler didn't know if this was how technology worked in the era he'd left behind, but given the recent smart tech explosion, he supposed anything was possible.

"Please type your message," Google urged after a few moments of Xyler's baffled silence.

"R-right then," Xyler agreed. He moved his fingers to touch the light, still unsure of how to proceed, feeling startled when his hand went right through, the button darkening under his touch. He took a breath.

_Chef-_

_It's me, Benjamin. I'm terribly sorry for my hasty exit, but I couldn't sit idle while Mark Doom was in the media's eye once more. I am writing this from a remote area that I don't entirely understand, like space without stars. It's a pitch black void, from what I can gather, it's the home of the man I told you about- Dark. The one who helped me to bring down Mark back in '76. I decided I had to enlist his help once more, but I may be gone for an extended while. In the meantime, I urge you- find a safe place. Mark may come for you again, and you won't be so lucky to survive the fire twice._

_-Benjamin_

"Hopefully that will suffice," Xyler sighed, pushing the 'send' button and watching with relief as Google resumed his human-enough form.

"If I might ask- why do you go by a name that isn't your own?" Google queried.

Xyler shrugged, shaking his head. "I'm not entirely sure, sir. I know that Benjamin is my birth name, and the name I have carried until the recent years, though something within tells me that Xyler is my true name. I will respond to either, but Xyler feels more natural now than ever before. Something about this Void really establishes it,"

"You seem upset."

Xyler looked up, and into Google's deep blue eyes. It was true- his earlier encounter with Blank had left him with some very mixed messages, and even messier feelings. He couldn't shake the idea that he'd met Blank before, yet the younger looking man denied it wholeheartedly, and though he wanted to get closer he knew that he'd have to wait until Blank felt the same before sating his strange new desires.

Xyler couldn't really explain it. His desire to reach out to the ego, to embrace him, to hold him close and protect him from harm. The very idea was irrational, so bewildering and exhilarating that Xyler might once have called it love.

But in this day and age? It was simply absurd. Love at first sight, while it may have been prevalent in his time (as it had needed to be, given the raging wars) simply didn't exist in this modern society. He'd met couples who'd been dating for several years without thinking of marriage, and people who were afraid to confess their feelings because their love might be refused. In conditions where procreation was not needed, why should people rush into committed relationships? Xyler had never been married, nor would he ever be, he supposed. But these feelings, these heartwarming thoughts... was it unjust to possess them so soon after meeting the blue haired boy?

"If I might confide in you," Xyler began, "I have been having some... difficult thoughts."

Google didn't seem fazed at all as he nodded. "Proceed. I am well equipped with the experience to handle anything that you will throw at me, if you consider the love triangles and parabolas that exist in this house."

"Indeed, my problems seem silly compared to what I've seen here," Xyler admitted, thinking back to the green haired man that was Dark's apparent boyfriend. "I've come to meet a nice young fellow, and he's somehow enraptured me- though we've barely spoken. I only met him within the day, but I already feel as though I know him well... is that crazy?"

Google shook his head. "Hardly, I've seen it happen again and again. Each Septiceye has ended up with an Iplier so far- whether it was due to the insistence of the fans or the close friendship that Mark and Seán maintained, they drifted to each other because of the pre-existing chemistry of their originals. It's less of a game of chance now, and more of a waiting game to see who a new ego will latch onto. I'd say that your original maintains a close bond with the original of the ego you're attracted to- that would explain your seemingly misplaced memories."

Xyler bit his lip. "Sir, I'm not sure I... Well, I'll put it like this. I'm not an ego- I'm a physical, living person,"

"Maybe," Google countered. "So are Wilford and Dark, yet they are also egos, in a sense of the word. Their distant relative, Mark, brought them to life, though they still retain memories and physical bodies from their time in the Groundlands. Do you know of a man named Tyler Scheid?"

Xyler frowned. "No sir, but the name seems eerily familiar. Who is it?"

Google's eyes lit up again, startling Xyler unwittingly, and a screen projected from his chest. Xyler felt his eyes widen in a strange sort of recognition- but how could it be?

"That's... that's me," Xyler stated.

"No," Google said, satisfied now, that the ego before him belonged to Mark's childhood friend. "That's your original, Tyler. He is close friends with Mark."

"But I..." Xyler began. "I'm much older than he is, in reality, though my appearance hasn't changed in these long years,"

"Tell me, Benjamin," Google addressed him by his original name. "Is the ego you've grown attached to, in any way, reminiscent of this young man?"

The image shifted, and Xyler could now see a man he recognised as Blank staring at him- but at the same time, it was hardly Blank at all. This man, while he had blue hair and an identical face shape, had white sclera instead of black, and wore a smile wider than Xyler had ever seen on Blank's cheeks.

"I... yes, but how?" Xyler asked.

"His name is Ethan Nestor-Darling," Google explained. "He's also very close with Mark and Tyler- so close that one of his egos has dated Mark's before."

Xyler swallowed. "Yes, that'd be him. The ego, that is- his name is Blank. I assume you know him, judging by your lack of shock,"

Google looked thoughtful. "Interesting... last year, he vanished from the manor sporting terrible rashes and even bleeding from several places on his skin. The man he was consorting with at the time was devastated, to say the very least. Until now, we've been under the impression that he had faded, but clearly that is not the case,"

"Faded?" Xyler uttered, even more concerned than ever for Blank's wellbeing. The term 'faded' just didn't sound good. "What do you mean?"

"When an ego doesn't recieve enough attention, or they exhaust themself to the point of total fatigue, they simply cease to exist," Google replied. "It happens as a result of injury, or mental illness most of the time. As Ethan's channel is much smaller than Mark and Seán's channels, it is not uncommon for the majority of his egos to fade in and out of this reality. It is not painful, Benjamin, don't worry."

Xyler bit his lip. "But sir... it sounds horrible,"

Google blinked. He found he couldn't help but agree. Objectively, of course.

"I've personally faded a number of times," Google opened up. At Xyler's shocked expression, he made quick work to explain.

"Fading is not permanent- when we make a comeback in the community, often we will return stronger than ever. I faded once due to lack of a following, though my brothers have faded more often than I have. I also use it as a healing mechanism- when I am damaged beyond repair, I allow myself to fade from existence, making my quote-unquote "death" insignificant."

"That's terrible," Xyler frowned. "Wouldn't you keep on fighting death, with everything you've got?"

Google shook his head. "I am a machine- my value is not significant. But in Blank's case, he suffers depression to the point where he sees no payoff in trying anymore. This is a habit King had hoped to curb, but now he never will. I can only give my condolences to you, Benjamin. It must be devastating to have feelings for someone who won't ever accept them completely. It's a phrase often represented through pictures on the internet- You will never find love until you learn to love yourself."

Xyler bit his lip and nodded. "Alright... Thank you, Google. I will... I will look for something to clean,"

Google cocked his head to the side. "You do not need to clean- it is part of my primary objective to serve the egos that live here,"

Xyler sighed. "With all due respect, sir, cleaning is my escape from reality. Forgive me for infringing upon your daily tasks, but... I will start with the servant's quarters."

As Xyler left the room, Google found himself worried.  _Worried_. What was this coming to? Without consciousness and thoughts, his tasks had been so easy to complete. Now, he found himself questioning every step of the way- his moral code, his feelings, his duty. He was designed to accomplish a task- not to allow the new guy to take over.

Without his cleaning job, Google was lost on what to do. His immediate thought was to protect the egos from harm, but they all had a significant other to watch their back. The ones that didn't? They'd have scoffed if he offered them help.

But there was a man out there, someone who really could use his help. Someone he hadn't served in a year- but then, Blank hadn't really given him many orders. Seeing how worried Benjamin had seemed when faced with the possibility of Blank fading, something within Google had clicked.

"My tertiary objective is to protect, serve and  _save_ ," Google whispered to himself. He stood, flexing his fingers out of habit as he strode from the door with a purpose. He would find Blank, and put an end to the misery Benjamin would surely face- before it even began. 

He told himself it was purely because he needed another task, and Wilford was too busy screwing everything that breathed to give him orders. He told himself he didn't care for the blue haired boy, who had never been unkind to him, who had never purposely left his mess around like Ed and Silver.

He didn't care. He was a robot.

Why did that sentence sound less real and more fabricated with each time it passed through his system?

**~Groundlands~**

"Nice place," Seán commented, looking around at the cafe the group had found. It was quaint but not too quiet, and Seán could hear the frantic rush of the employees as they served the customers, barely having the time to mind that there were five moderately famous people dining here, and for that he was somewhat grateful. The coming conversation he was going to have with Mark was going to be hard enough without potential eavesdroppers.

He still didn't seem to be over the fact that Dark was in his house when their lunch arrived- Seán had a chicken sandwich that he gratefully devoured, having been too nauseous to eat on the plane. Mark, however, was still staring at his hands, his plate of food forgotten. Amy, too, had noticed, and she reached out to wrap an arm around Mark's shoulder. Seán was worried to see that he flinched upon contact.

"What?"

"Mark, you've barely touched your food-  _and_  you didn't eat breakfast," Amy said, concerned.

"You should really eat something, it's not healthy to skip meals like that," Tyler pointed out, and Ethan nodded with a mouth full of vegetables.

"I'm fine," Mark stated a little harshly. Amy frowned.

"Stop biting our heads off, we're just trying to help," Seán interceded, and Amy shot him a grateful look. Seeing as he was finished with his meal anyway, Seán figured now was as best time as any to talk to Mark about just what had been happening in Brighton the past few months.

Mark bit his lip, looking remorseful, but remained silent. It was as if he didn't trust himself to speak without letting his anger consume him. Whether it was anger about Dark, or anger about the constant harassment of the police, or even anger directed toward himself- Seán knew just how badly Mark tended to handle himself when he was overwhelmed.

The Irishman supposed he was probably doing the best he could in this situation, but even that wouldn't suffice in these conditions.

"So, before we talk about any of the weird stuff, is it alright if Dark stays with you until he's fit to go back to the Void?" Seán began.

Mark fixed him with a stare that Seán didn't quite know how to place. Whatever emotion was behind it, the glare was intense, and Seán's tone wavered as he elaborated, seeing that Mark wasn't convinced.

"You know- 'cause I've got a big two months planned, and I can't drag him around with me when he's like this, and-"

"You still haven't told me what's wrong with him," Mark frowned. "You just said he's fragile, what's that even supposed to mean?"

Tyler sighed. "Mark, he's... I know it's strange, and you won't want to believe it, but I've seen a lot of weird shit today. He's pregnant."

Mark didn't even seem surprised- rather, annoyed. He rubbed his temples softly, sighing to himself as he stared at his untouched plate of lukewarm food.

"Of course," Mark breathed, "of course he is. And why is that my problem?"

"Mark!" Amy scolded.

"Technically, it's my problem, I guess," Seán admitted. "I brought him here, but seriously- he's almost fainted at least twice since we got off the plane, and he's going to get weaker, I... I can't let him travel like this."

"Why is he even here?" Mark scowled. Seán knew that he was tired and stressed, but that didn't stop the way something in his chest tightened at the harshness of the sentence.

"Does it matter?" Amy chided. "Really, Mark? I know you're upset about the girls and the whole Mark Doom thing, but that's no reason to be snappy,"

"I'm not snapping!" Mark huffed.

"Yeah, you are," Ethan said, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. Seán might have accompanied the action with a throw away comment like "dirty boy" but that hardly seemed appropriate now.

"Look, Mark, I'm sorry you've been having a shitty time, but that shouldn't affect this at all! Dark's one of your egos, you should be responsible for him- I know that if Anti somehow materialised in the world and he needed my help, I'd do it in a heartbeat, and the man's killed me more times than I can count,"

"Yeah, but you're a nice, generous, forgiving person," Mark groaned. "I'm not. Maybe I'm being selfish, but I just- I don't trust him, Seán. Not with you, not with me, and not with my friends. Especially if he's going to have even bigger mood swings than usual, I just can't... I can't handle him right now,"

Amy sighed. "I'll take him,"

Four pairs of eyes whipped to face her, as she shook her head.

"I get it, Mark, but... please, just try. I'll look after him with Kathryn until you stop being an ass, whether you mean to be or not,"

"Well I'm just saying, if Seán's the dad,  _he_  should take care of it," Mark argued. "He wanted to forgive Dark after what happened, right?"

"Mark, it's not-" Seán began, but something in his mind clicked. Something that couldn't dismiss Mark's statement as a lie. Dark had only just found out about the baby, and he'd assumed it was Anti's, but... was it? Dark told Seán himself that the timelines just didn't add up, and considering that Dark said he was approximately two months pregnant...

"Oh... fuck," Seán uttered. It really could be his child, couldn't it? The dates couldn't be coincidental, and besides- Anti was just a figment of his imagination, how could he procreate?

"What?" Ethan asked, concerned and oblivious. It seemed, he was still the only one left out of the know, as every other occupant of the table had looked down at Mark's words.

"I... shit, I never thought it could be me," Seán grimaced. "He... he really thinks it's Anti's, though, wouldn't he know who the father was?"

Mark just looked at him incredulously. "Anti? Wait- no, I refuse, there's no way your stupid glitchy ego is fucking Dark,"

"He's not  _stupid,_ " Seán began, "And yeah, they're together. If you'd listened to me on the phone in May, you'd know that Dark had feelings for him- it's one of the only things I'm certain of,"

"But how can you be sure?" Mark sighed in frustration. "It's not like you can trust a word he says, Seán."

"Mark- I have seen his  _memories_ ," Seán argued. "I lived through it- just, we're getting off topic here. It doesn't matter if it's my kid or not, he's  _your_  damn ego, and he's too sick to follow me out of the house,"

"Look, Seán, I'll take care of it," Amy interceded. "You know Mark, he'll deny it even if he believes it because he doesn't like admitting he's wrong."

"I do not!" Mark huffed.

"Case in point," Tyler snorted.

"Okay, let's just get back to the point of the conversation," Amy said, giving everyone a pointed glare. "Please. We should probably get back before we get noticed, anyway,"

"Right," Seán sighed. "Mark, sooner or later we're going to have to get this out of the way. Our egos are all alive and real- I mean all of them, even the ones I made recently, Dark's told me so. Not only that, All but one of my egos are dating yours. This, I only just found out, and I'm still getting over it, but... I don't doubt it. Considering the egos are kept alive by the fans and all, and you know how they get,"

Mark looked flabbergasted, but Seán wasn't done yet.

"And before you doubt that- the other day, Schneep possessed me and took full control of my body- it was no hallucination, and I found it terrifying."

"He  _possessed you_ -?" Mark started, but Amy shot him a warning glare.

"Yeah, it sucked," Seán shuddered. "The point being- this is real. All of this, the characters we created, they all live lives of their own. We have a responsibility to them- we're like their parents, you know? They wouldn't exist if we didn't make them real,"

"But Dark's not even an ego," Mark fumed. "He's my goddamn grandfather,"

"And I didn't create Anti," Seán agreed, while everyone but Amy looked surprised at Mark's confession. "But I'm still responsible for him, whether he likes it or not."

"Wait, Dark's your  _grandpa_?!" Ethan choked.

Mark let out a long sigh. "Yes, he is. It's a long story- basically, Damien's body was possessed by Mark Doom and he had a kid- my dad- in the sixties. Technically that makes me Damien's grandchild, and of course, Damien is now part of Dark. It makes my head hurt, and I hate it, but... I can't deny it,"

"Something like the fact Dark can get pregnant in the first place, then," Seán offered.

"Yeah, it's not normal but Dark's anything but normal, isn't he?" Mark grimaced. "Fuck... well, I'm sure he won't want to be in my house for longer than a week anyway, but I don't feel comfortable with him staying at yours,"

Mark looked pointedly at Amy, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Mark, you forget I live with Kathryn, I won't be alone. And there's no way he'd come onto me- he's pretty hung up on Anti at the moment, and it's clear he likes guys. I'm in no danger, why are you so hesitant?"

"I don't want to lose you," Mark huffed. "You're really important to me, and... honestly, it wouldn't even matter if his intentions were good. The guy's like a bad luck magnet- I just don't want to put you in danger,"

Amy hugged Mark around the middle, kissing his forehead. "I'll be fine, Mark. You're welcome to check in with him and see how he's doing, if it'll make you feel better,"

"I'll check in too," Seán said. "I'm the one who got him into this mess, anyway,"

"Hey... are you sure you're the dad?" Tyler asked, still looking a little shaken by the fact that Dark was Mark's relative.

Seán shuddered. How was he going to break this to Dark? The man would be absolutely heartbroken, and then there was telling  _Anti_. He shook his head, folding his arms and looking at Mark with approval when the man finally started on his food.

"I don't know," Seán said honestly. "But I'd be there for him anyway. That's what friends are for... plus, he's dating Anti, so he's sort of like my son-in-law... oh shit, I just remembered,"

All heads snapped up to meet his gaze. Seán had a smirk on his face- Mark hadn't really reacted to the news that his egos and Seán's egos were romantically involved, but this information was probably going to make him implode. 

"Mark, the doctors are getting married," Seán said seriously.

Mark choked on the piece of meat he was eating. "Huh?!"

"Wait, really?" Tyler asked, leaning forward a little in his seat.

"Yeah, Dark told me," Seán agreed, watching Mark and Ethan's crises unfolding with a triumphant smile. Amy's cheeks had split into a wide grin as she watched Mark try to process the information he'd been given. Strangely, she was the one who seemed the most on board with this whole ego business.

"Dude... how?" Ethan uttered, placing his cutlery on his now empty plate.

"Well I imagine one of them popped the question," Seán said matter-of-factly. "I knew they were dating- but Dark told me on the plane that they recently got engaged, isn't that wild?"

"You're telling me," Mark started, having managed to stop coughing. "That not only are our egos dating, but two of them are getting married? Before either of us get married? That's baloney!"

Seán snorted. "Trust me, dude, I had the same reaction. But that's not all- see, Dark was going to get ordained to perform the wedding, but obviously, he's in no state to be doing much but sleeping at the moment. I was thinking, what if we let them take control, just for a day, and-?"

"No," Mark interceded. "No no no no, I don't want to watch that,"

"But Mark, it'd be fun!" Amy urged. Mark stared at her incredulously.

"Out of everyone here, out of literally anyone-  _you're_  the one that's okay with this?"

"Yeah," Amy agreed. "When you came up to me last year with one of your weird thought processes that involved you having multiple personalities with different girlfriends, I said I wouldn't mind. Why is this any different?"

"Well I-" Mark began, but came up short of words. "I don't- I'm straight,"

Seán rolled his eyes. "Me too, but I'm just looking out for my own, okay? We don't have to do it if it makes you uncomfortable,"

"Not only that," Mark sighed. "But what if they get recognised? People will think we're actually together, they won't want to accept whatever crazy theory we propose to cover it,"

Seán could see it now- "Oh yeah, that was us but we were just acting. Oh by the way, our egos are married, it's canon!"

"Look, even if they only possess us to say their vows and then leave, it'll be worth it, right? They want to get married, Mark, we should let them," Seán pleaded.

"And there's literally no other way," Amy supported, shooting Seán a grin. "Come on, it's not like it's actually you,"

"Seriously, I don't think that's a good idea," Mark frowned. "Like- I wouldn't care so much if I didn't have to witness it, because it would be so  _weird_ , but if you can remember every detail of being possessed..."

Seán shuddered. "Really, I... I don't much like being possessed either. But, maybe we can ask them! I'm sure Schneep will want to come back to check up on Dark himself, he  _is_  the good doctor, I mean, maybe there's more to possession than we think there is,"

Amy patted Mark's shoulder excitedly. "It's worth a shot,"

Mark sighed to himself. "I... I'll think about it,"

Ethan coughed a little. "Yeah, that's not a solid confirmation, especially from Mark,"

Mark sputtered. "Well, what if I wanted to make you and Tyler get fake married!"

"You already did that," Tyler pointed out. "Anyway, we're all waiting on you. Hurry up,"

Mark grumbled to himself as he began to pick at his cold plate of food once more. Seán was about to speak, but something in his stomach suddenly turned. He caved in on instinct, bumping the table, and immediately everyone gave a shout of alarm.

"Seán? Are you-?"

"I'm fine," Seán gasped, suddenly feeling very constricted. "I just-"

"Seán!" Mark shouted in concern, as Seán's hand reached for a steak knife and began to move toward his throat. Seán had no control as he watched the blade grow ever closer, feeling the muscles in his arm trying with all their might to push past the grip of Tyler and Amy, keeping him from slitting his throat.

All at once, it stopped. The knife fell to the plate with a clatter, and Seán could breathe once more, his fingers shaking and his skin even paler than before. All four of his friends looked at him like they'd seen a ghost- which, if that had happened any differently, might have been the case.

"What the fuck was that?!" Ethan asked, looking shocked and mildly horrified.

Seán licked his dry lips, pushing the plate and his cutlery far away on the table. "I... I assume that's Anti, but... why would he stop?"

"Come on," Mark urged, standing and leaving his plate. "We have to go, quickly,"

Seán had no time to try and comprehend what had just occurred before he was swept away from the table and into Mark's van, his fingers still shaking. He supposed that was the closest he'd come to a near death encounter in his life, and he was absolutely shitting himself.

Why had Anti spared him? Why had he done this in the open- he'd only ever killed Seán when he was alone in the past. What was he trying to do so desperately that he threw all caution aside?

His heart sank as he came to a possible conclusion. ' _Fuck... he came to see Dark. That has to be it...'_

"Don't let him near anything with an edge," Mark ordered Tyler, who was sitting by Seán's side. The stone faced man nodded seriously, keeping his grip on Seán's arm, though Anti was long gone.

"S-sorry, guys," Seán uttered.

Tyler squeezed his arm softly. "Just keep breathing, you'll get through this,"

That wasn't what Seán was worried about, to be fair. But he sat through it, knowing his friends had the right to be cautious. If Anti could possess him like this, what was stopping him from killing them along with Seán next time? He was almost scared to go visit Robin, and Tucker, and all of his other friends in case something awry happened again.

_Please, Anti, stay calm... He'll be home again soon._


	11. Chapter 10

**~Void~**

_KNOCK KNOCK!_

"Hey, uh, guys? Doc? Schneep? You in there?"

Henrik groaned under his breath as the sound registered in his brain, shifting uncomfortably under the sheets. He'd been having a nice dream- a  _very_  nice dream might he add, until he'd been rudely interrupted by someone he assumed to be Chase, knocking on his bedroom door. He closed his eyes in denial, holding the sleeping form of his lover close to him, silently wishing that there wasn't a serious problem so he could bask in this warm embrace just a little longer.

"Um... it's kinda urgent? I think?"

Henrik sighed in defeat, already beginning to rise unwittingly. "Ich komme, Chase, vorry nicht,"

He slowly untangled his body from Dr. Iplier's, tucking the sheets back over his fiance as he reached down to pick up some clothes. He shrugged, deciding that a coat would suffice. He had no plans on being awake for longer than half an hour at the most.

When he opened the door, he found both Bing and Chase standing there, looking incredibly flustered. Having not heard the android at all, Henrik was surprised by his presence- usually, the noise these two made preceded them. What was the matter? Both of the egos seemed to be in perfect health, if a little quiet...

"Vhat is ze problem?" Henrik asked them, and Chase bit his lip nervously in response. He seemed as though he didn't really know where to start, looking at Bing, most likely for reassurance. Finally, he spoke.

"Um... so Bing's got a... problem,"

Henrik sighed in mild frustration. "Spit it out, Chase,"

"He's got a robo-dick," Chase uttered hastily, and Bing reddened even further, hiding his face in his hands.

Henrik stared at the pair incredulously. Was this  _really_ an urgent matter? "And?"

"W-well, he didn't have one before," Chase muttered, a blush overtaking his features with each hurried breath. "We were wondering what to do about it,"

Henrik sighed, pressing his fingers to his temples. "You're together, bist du nicht? Go und jump on it or something,"

"But Schneep-"

"I am not trained to handle emotionally capable dildos, Chase, you must figure it out for yourself!"

The pair quickly scurried away before anyone else could hear the conversation unfolding, and Henrik sighed to himself, adjusting his coat. He didn't mean to snap like that- he was just feeling out of sorts today, what with Dark being gone and Anti living with that burden. He supposed that while he was up, he should probably check on Anti. Trying to shake the conversation from his mind, he wandered down the long hallway to visit Dark's bedroom.

On his way, he noted the noises coming from the individual rooms of the egos- it was hardly an invasion of privacy. After all, as their doctor, he knew them best. Plus, if they'd really wanted to keep secrets, they wouldn't be so loud in the first place.

Bim and Silver's room was oddly quiet, but Henrik walked past it, not the least concerned with what they were doing with their time. It was more Marvin, Jameson and their respective partners he was listening for. He was greatly concerned about how his younger brother's little love affair was playing out, especially now that Jameson had let his true feelings show for the world to see. Henrik hadn't felt the need to pressure Jameson to leave Wilford before, but now...

Henrik sighed. He'd check with Marvin and Yan first- they seemed to be happy now that they were reunited, but Doc wouldn't have suggested couples therapy for nothing.

He knocked gently on their door. The giggles he'd heard came to a soft halt, and when the door opened Henrik could see that his brother was beaming, his mask lying on the bedside table, wearing some blue pajamas for a change. Henrik couldn't help but smile back.

"Hey, Schneep," Marvin smiled in greeting. "Did you hear? Yan's back,"

Henrik grinned in return. "Yes, mein Bruder, I am glad to see ze two of you together again,"

"Hey!" Yan waved, sitting cross legged on the bed, also in pajamas. Was there some secret event going on that Henrik was unaware of?

"Guten Abend," Henrik returned, decidedly more cheery than before. "I am happy to see you in such good spirits again, Marvin."

Marvin chuckled. "Never a dull day with Yan, you know that. From the fact you're practically naked, I can see it's the same with you and Doc,"

Henrik flushed a little, folding his coat in self-consciously. "Vell, ve are engaged to be married, Marvin- it's not a secret zat ve are intimate. Zhen again, I don't think any of our extended family here are very subtle vith zeir romances,"

"You're right there," Yan sighed, shuffling a deck of cards that he and Marvin must have been playing. "Bing only just left- he came in here half naked, freaking out about growing a dick- poor Marvin was scarred for life,"

"So es ist true," Henrik pondered. "I sent zhem on zeir vay- I had thought it vas nothing to vorry about,"

Marvin shrugged, still looking a little shaken from the mention of Bing's freak attack. "I dunno, Schneep, you grow an extra body part and see how you react to that,"

Henrik rolled his eyes. "Honestly, es ist nicht like Chase doesn't know how to handle it, I've seen enough of his search history. But I digress- I just came in to see how you vere doing,"

Marvin smiled softly, walking back over to the bed and sitting there, dealing another set of cards to what looked like UNO. "We're fine, Schneep, don't worry about us. I'd worry about Jackie- he's been losing his mind over Dark's new regime,"

Henrik sighed to himself. "Oh dear... You know it is not unreasonable to request such privacy, right?"

Marvin nodded reluctantly. "He's respected every other rule, but... I think his problem is Anti. Heck, when is his problem  _not_  Anti? I... I've made my peace with him, but Jackie hasn't, and I don't think he will anytime soon. The wounds are just... still fresh, you know?"

"Ja, but vounds vill always heal over," Henrik advised. "Anyway- good luck beating Marvin at cards, he's quite handy vith zhem. I vill leave you now,"

The couple smiled and waved Henrik away as he shut the door, proceeding further down the hall. The house was large, the passages long and twisting, and it was easy to get lost in here. If all of the bedrooms weren't on a single stretch of hall, nobody would be able to find their way.

He slowed as he walked past Wilford's room- it was closest to Dark's, and Henrik knew it well simply because of how often he'd found his brother outside, staring wistfully out of the window. Jameson was there now, in fact, leaning on the railing that overlooked the entrance foyer. Henrik startled him when he placed a hand on the dapper man's shoulder, and the doctor could see tears in his eyes. His mood immediately turned sour.

"JJ, are you alright?" Henrik asked, determined.

Jameson blinked a few times, signing a word that didn't reflect his sorrowful appearance at all.

_'Fine.'_

"Do not lie, please," Henrik interceded. "Look at yourself- you have cried a river from deine Augen,"

Jameson sniffed a bit.  _'I don't want to worry you,'_

"Nonsense!" Henrik retorted. "Ich bin ze good doctor- I vant to help! It is Vilford again, is it not?"

Jameson nodded shakily. His hands shuddered as he tried to sign a sentence, not trusting his lips to stop quivering.

_'It is my own problem.'_

"Vhy von't you let me help, Bruder?"

Jameson met Henrik's eyes with sadness, tears falling steadily from them as he patted his heart a few times. It wasn't a recognised sign, but Henrik could understand what his brother was trying to tell him, however much he found himself disagreeing.

"Zis is ridiculous," Henrik growled under his breath. "Look at you, JJ- you are a mess! If you do not have ze vits,  _I_ vill talk to him."

Jameson's eyes widened, but Henrik had already opened the door to Wilford's room. He could make out two figures in the corner- one was very obviously strapped to a bondage swing, and the bright pink mustache the other bore was noticeable even in the dim lighting. Henrik didn't even want to touch the light switch, knowing that to cast light on this scene would only hurt his brother more.

"I assume zat to be Kinkiplier," Henrik stated dryly, catching Wilford's attention as the two stopped their daring sexual play. He was well aware that Jameson's little sniffs were fading, and he knew that the ego must have walked away, but standing up to the man who kept breaking his brother's heart didn't need any witnesses to have an effect.

"Can I help you?" Wilford asked, rocking Kinkiplier a little in the swing as he spoke. The ball-gagged ego let out a quiet, needy moan, and Henrik closed his eyes in frustration and anger.

"How can you stand zere und throw Jameson's love for you away like zat?!" Henrik fumed.

"Well I asked him if he wanted to join in!" Wilford exclaimed, as if that somehow made up for it. "But he's not into threesomes!"

Henrik grimaced. "Ach, es ist no vonder zat Anti does not trust you!"

Wilford cocked his head to the side. "And why wouldn't he trust me? I'm incredibly reliable, you know-"

"You are cheating on ze man who gave you his heart," Henrik spat. "Und admitting to Anti, right now, zat you had vonce slept vith his lover? You'd be lucky if mein Brüder ever speak to ze likes of you again!"

"Whoa, calm down, I see no reason to get aggressive," Wilford frowned.

Kinkiplier shifted uncomfortably in his swing, probably having noticed that the wild sex he'd been having had stopped.

"I do!" Kinkiplier whined through his gag, moving his hips against Wilford's like he craved the attention the pink haired man gave. What was it about this man that had all of the egos falling over themselves to sleep with him? Henrik had lost count of the people listed in Wilford's little black book, even before Jameson entered his life, but he was sure the numbers kept on piling up to this day.

Wilford shushed the other man, not moving from his position. "Hush, Kinkiplier, or I'll pull out the whips,"

Henrik could only just make out Kinkiplier's eyes crinkle in the darkness, watching his already open mouth curl into a sly grin.

"Anything but that," Kinkiplier returned, his voice muffled through the gag that Wilford apparently didn't feel like removing. Wilford chuckled lowly, and they would have continued on with their little affair if Henrik didn't proceed to cough loudly to get their attention.

"You're still here?" Wilford groaned in annoyance. "Look, I'm not sure if Doc would let you join in, but-"

"Ich- I am nicht hier to join you!" Henrik growled. "You are despicable! Zat is it- I have had enough of zis. Jameson vill not be seeing you anymore- I don't care how much he despises me for it,"

"Pfft," Wilford scoffed, and Henrik was forced to look away as they started to go at it again, like rabbits in mating season. "He'll come back to me if he wants to, you're not his father."

Henrik shot Wilford one last glare, one that the pink haired man probably didn't even notice.

"I may not be his father, but damned if I let him get hurt by zat whore again..." Henrik muttered furiously, looking around for Jameson but the man was long gone.

He almost excused himself to wander the grounds and let off some steam, but then remembered- Anti. That was the whole reason he'd even left his room, right?

He turned again, letting his footsteps drown out the painfully obvious noises coming from Wilford's room, knocking harshly on Dark's bedroom door. He heard a small sob coming from inside, and immediately, his already low heart sank. He wrenched the door open quickly, moving past the door to Dark's en-suite bathroom to find Anti, sitting hunched in a half-made bed, knife in his hand. He was already bleeding, but Henrik was startled to see Anti holding the blade to his throat, just...  _holding it_  there.

Henrik rushed to his aide, forcing the knife from Anti's grasp and tossing it aside. The ego before him looked so torn, so broken that he could hardly believe it had only been hours since he'd left their therapy session, drying his tears.

Anti didn't even seem to notice that the knife was gone as he sat there, shaking, not even blinking away his tears. For the first time since Doc had proposed, Henrik felt truly  _worried_. Like something serious could happen if he didn't treat this situation carefully, but he couldn't imagine what.

"Anti- Anti listen, you promised me zat you vould not hurt yourself!" Henrik spoke, looking over Anti's slashed and bloodied arms as the glitch continued to sob. It was as if the ego wasn't entirely there, eyes unfocused, trembling, not acknowledging Henrik's presence at all.

"Anti!" Henrik called again, snapping his fingers in front of the glitch's face. Thankfully, that broke Anti from his apparent trance, and he fixed Henrik with devastated, hurt eyes.

" _Sch-Schneep_ ," Anti sobbed, burying himself in the doctor's arms. Henrik was startled, but quickly his doctor instincts took over, and he found himself holding Anti close, scared to match the glitch's strength in case he somehow hurt his eldest brother. What the hell had happened to him?

"Shh, Anti, calm yourself," Henrik urged, not noticing that there was blood soaking through his coat until warm, wet crimson touched his skin. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but Henrik had much greater concerns than just the cleanliness of his garments.

"I- I... I'm so s-sorry," Anti hiccuped, clinging to his brother like there was nobody else he could trust. "I didn't... I- I didn't mean to, I just..."

"Deep breaths," Henrik advised, noting that Anti's shallow breaths seemed to be inhibiting his speech. "Breathe, Anti, breathe..."

Anti tried, he really did, but within seconds he burst into tears hotter than flames, the sobs drowning out his pitiful mumbling.

Henrik found he could do nothing but stay there, holding Anti, hoping that this tiny amount of comfort would be enough to soothe him from whatever terrible nightmare he'd faced.

"Vas it a night terror?" Henrik asked, though he had a feeling Anti's condition was caused by something much deeper than a dream.

Anti managed to shake his head between choked gasps, his eyes red with moisture as he wiped away the mucous that had begun to pour. "I d-didn't get to sle-ep," Anti explained. "Th-the voices were too l-loud,"

"Voices..." Henrik repeated, silently berating himself for forgetting that Anti was never truly alone. "Vhat did zey say to you?"

"Th-the usual," Anti sniffed. "That I w-was worthless, a-and terrible, I... I had to see h-him, Schneep, I couldn't- I couldn't just-"

"Zere zere," Henrik soothed, his grip on Anti never faltering. "I am here for you, Anti, do not forget zat,"

"B-but-" Anti began, but Henrik interrupted him with another "Shh."

"N-no, you don't... d-don't understand, Schneep, I... I heard things,  _terrible_  things, and... and when I tried to s-see Dark, all I saw was M-Mark, and Xyler's original and B-Blank's original too, a-and they said... They said it's not my b-baby, it's Jack's..."

Henrik paused. Jack's? How could the baby be Jack's? He'd known that Dark was with Jack just before he returned- the demon himself had said so, but he'd left this apparently crucial detail out of his recount. He couldn't believe Dark would do such a thing- he'd been in love with Anti for as long as Henrik could remember, after all. But then, why would Jack discuss such a thing if it were not true?

"I... I do not know vhat to tell you," Henrik mumbled truthfully, feeling as though he'd been hit in the head with a bomb called 'Knowledge'. "Es ist... certainly startling. I do not blame you for reacting zis vay, mein Bruder,"

Anti sniffled a little, meeting Henrik's eyes with hesitation. "Y-you don't?"

Henrik held him a little tighter, bringing him so close that he could catch the scent of frazzled wires that followed Anti when he was upset over the stench of fresh blood that had encompassed them. He wanted nothing but to show Anti just how much he cared, given that every other person in his life had failed him so far.

"Nein, Anti," Henrik whispered. "I am also shocked. I know Jack, und he vould not speak a lie, but... I just can't see him sleeping vith Dark either,"

Anti blinked away some fresh tears at the mention of Dark, slowly retreating from the prolonged hug and holding himself tightly, his wounds sealing up again with nothing to show but the blood.

"I..." Anti uttered, still seemingly unsure of how to address the situation. "I just... I don't know how to f-feel,"

Henrik shook his head, taking Anti's hand and clasping it softly. "Feel vhatever comes naturally, Anti- don't bottle it away. Emotions exist for a reason, und having zhem does not make you veak,"

Anti bit his lip as he nodded, his efforts to dry his eyes becoming more futile as his silence reigned. Henrik was unsure if he should stay or leave, but eventually Anti broke the silence himself, standing from his space on the bed. His face was still wet with tears, but he wasn't even trying to hide them.

"I... I'm going for a walk," Anti uttered. Henrik gave him a proud smile, patting his hand softly as they parted ways.

"I hope you vill feel better," Henrik wished as Anti left, and the glitch sent him a troubled smile.

The room was a mess- the knife was still lying, bloodied, on the ground where it had landed, and the sheets of Dark's bed were doused in crimson fluid. Henrik sighed as he resigned himself to wearing his blood red coat back to his room- there was no point in summoning another just yet, anyway. Wilford's room was remarkably silent- perhaps Henrik's words really had hit home.

_More likely, they've found some other surface to defile._

The giggles and laughter that had once emanated from Marvin and Yan's room were now replaced with soft murmurs that Henrik couldn't quite make out. He couldn't help but smile, knowing that at least one other couple in this house was happy.

He stumbled a little on an acorn that was now in the hallway, knowing that King must have been the culprit. He sighed and put it in his pocket- it was a tripping hazard, after all. There was a thumping noise now coming from Silver and Bim's room, but Henrik simply didn't care to investigate.

If he had to walk in on anyone else's love life today, he might just take a leaf from Dark's book and start yelling until people learned to back off.

He peeled his coat away from his skin once he was back in his room, mouth turning in disdain as he observed how the crimson of Anti's blood had stained his skin. He couldn't go to bed like this- it was hardly fair on his fiance, let alone himself.

Speaking of the other doctor, he then walked over in nothing but a towel, wrapping his tired arms around his lover. Henrik positively melted into his arms, wanting nothing more than to collapse into his soon-to-be husband's embrace and forget the troubles of his countless brothers that somehow all managed to involve him.

"Good evening," Doc mumbled, pressing soft kisses down Henrik's neck and across his shoulder, not perturbed at all by the copious amounts of blood now being shared between them.

"It has been a long hour, mein Verlobter," Henrik sighed, leaning back a little into Doc's chest.

Doc smiled regretfully, hugging Henrik a little closer. "I'm sorry to hear that... you're... you're a mess, darling,"

Henrik chuckled despite himself, something about the dryness of the statement triggering his stress response- laughter. He laughed and he laughed, until he was crying and he couldn't determine why. It could have been for Jameson's sake, or Anti's, or just relief that Marvin's breakup had resolved itself alright, or even the stress that Dark's pregnancy had caused him the past two days, all coming out in a choked, teary mask of joy.

Doc wiped away Henrik's tears, kissing him tenderly a few times before taking his lover's glasses off. He removed his towel and tossed it aside- it was smeared and red and ruined, now. They stood together, bare but not sexually. It was nice to hold each other like this, despite the stickiness and overall terrible sensation of being covered with someone else's blood.

"Should we have a bath?" Doc suggested, letting his fingers entwine with Henrik's own. The green haired man gave his hand a firm squeeze in response.

"Ja, zat sounds vonderful," Henrik sighed, his muscles aching for a nice long rest. "I just... sometimes, I vish ve could retire."

"Retire?" Doc questioned as they made their way slowly to their en-suite bathroom. "We're barely twenty-nine, darling,"

Henrik gave a half-minded laugh, though it sounded little more than a rasp after what he'd been through. "It feels as though I have aged three decades, just zis past Wochen,"

Doc chuckled lowly, running the hot water as he held Henrik close, gazing at their reflection in the mirror. They were tired, stressed, and frustrated. But at least they had each other.

Henrik clasped their fingers together again, leaning into Doc's touch as he gazed at the blood-covered doctors in the mirror. "Zat is not us, mein Schatz. Zis constant fighting, zis struggle... I just vish it could be simple. I just... I just vant to relax."

Doc kissed him a little longer this time, tangling his fingers lazily in Henrik's hair as they took their time waiting for the bath to fill up, leaning against the basin like they hadn't a care in the world.

"For now, we've got a bath," Doc sighed. "I wish I could give you more, Hen..."

"Nonsense," Henrik chided under his breath. "A bath is more zhan velcome, Doc, now come in and join me,"

It was almost a waste to taint this lovely water with crimson, but it simply had to be done. Henrik climbed in first, and when Doc followed, Henrik let the older doctor lay his head on his chest. The water was hot and it scalded them, but when the blood washed away and turned the water deep maroon, it was all worth it. It was  _all_  worth it.

The fights, the shouting, the infidelity, the pregnancy, the magic and the seemingly constant headache. Neither doctor would trade this feeling for anything else.

"Ich liebe dich," Henrik muttered softly, closing his eyes as his body slowly grew accustomed to the heat of the bath.

Doc closed his eyes too, mirroring his lover though he couldn't see his face. "I love you too, Hen..."

**~Groundlands~**

"Dark? Hey, wake up,"

Dark opened his eyes groggily, his poor vision focusing at last on the one who had come to rouse him from his slumber. Amy was there, hand outstretched, tapping his arm insistently. Dark didn't want to move, but he knew that was only a sign that he'd slept for far too long. The way his bones cracked and his stiff joints seized when he made to sit up only solidified his thoughts.

"Sorry to wake you, but..." Amy began, giving a small sigh. "It's been a day, and I don't know how ego pregnancy works, but I assume hibernation isn't part of it,"

Dark blinked his tired eyes. "I appear to have overslept... again. I'm terribly sorry, it won't happen again,"

Amy gave him a warm, welcoming smile, despite how rude it must have been for him to sleep for so long. "Don't worry about it, Dark, I get it. I just didn't know if... if that was healthy. Well, considering what I've made you for lunch, I suppose that's not very healthy either,"

Dark cocked his head to one side, as if the word was foreign to him. "You... prepared me lunch?"

"Yeah, you need to eat something," Amy said, offering a hand to help him up. As he did so, the blanket he was wearing fell from his lap, and exposed his bump for all the world to see.

Amy couldn't help her look of surprise as she gazed at the protrusion, eyebrows furrowed.

"Am I seeing things or is that thing bigger than it used to be?"

Dark grimaced. "It may be my lack of activity talking but she certainly feels bigger than before,"

He pressed his palm to where he could sense the child was sleeping, rubbing his skin softly so as not to wake her. Amy didn't make to feel the baby, instead eyeing Dark up and down.

"We bought you some clothes, but I'm not sure if they'll fit," Amy said, making sure Dark could stand properly before she reached for a few bags that had been brought in during the night.

She held up an oversized tee and some tracksuit pants, and Dark felt a little ill in his stomach. He tried to speak, but found himself dry retching instead. He fell back onto the bed with a small cry of alarm, gagging though nothing was coming up.

Amy quickly dropped the clothes, climbing onto the bed and helping him sit up again.

"Damn, that'd be the morning sickness," Amy fretted. "I guess it's a good thing you haven't eaten- yet. Do you think you can stand strongly enough to come out, or do you want me to bring it to you?"

Dark's throat felt painfully constricted, each heaving sensation coming closer to sending dizziness through his body again. Truthfully, he didn't trust himself to stand, but he didn't want to sit here and do nothing while others slaved for him- especially others who had no obligation to him.

"I..." Dark started, before he let the sentence drop with a sigh. "I don't... think I can walk just yet... But I'll be fine soon!"

Amy didn't look so convinced. "Yeah... I'll get Seán to bring it to you. You two have some things to discuss,"

When she left the room, Dark found his mind spinning out of control. What did he and Seán have to discuss? If anything, Dark had thought they'd be asking for his own recount of whatever Seán had told them, but that apparently wasn't the case. He almost stood and followed Amy outside, but something inside of him felt it would be a bad idea to stand.

When the next wave of nausea hit, Dark was thankful for his own intuition. He didn't think he'd ever appreciate the taste of bile in his mouth, and had only just finished retching when the door opened again.

"Hey, it's- what the- Jesus Christ!"

Seán hastily shoved the plate of whatever he was holding onto the bedside table, clattering a lamp to the ground as he climbed onto the bed as Amy had done, immediately patting Dark's back with enough force to break the choking grip of his developed bile-induced cough.

"Shit, man- do you need a bucket?"

Dark swallowed and his nose crinkled in distaste as the acid followed his digestive tract all the way back to where it belonged. He coughed a few more times unwittingly, before turning to face Seán.

The Irishman was wearing something different today- though that was understandable. It was a printed grey tee with the word 'CLOAK' written across the torso, and it looked freshly bought considering the fold creases were still present. He looked mildly concerned as Dark continued to hack into his palm, something not settling quite well in his throat.

"No, I'm f-fine," Dark shuddered, head pounding. "I'm just feeling a little u-under the weather, that's all. Just a bit of m-morning sickness,"

"Dude, you look like death and all his friends gang raped you," Seán frowned. "I mean, Amy made you some waffles but I don't think you'll be able to keep them down."

Dark couldn't lie- he liked the sound of waffles. The aroma enough was enough to make his stomach rumble, aching to be filled, while his throat was sending signals like  _'No, stop! I'm hurting!'_

"I smell chocolate," Dark said, licking his lips subconsciously.

"That's because they're chocolate waffles," Seán explained, holding the plate in front of Dark. It certainly looked delicious- a plate of steaming hot waffles drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with strawberries. It was enough to make Dark weak at the knees, but he still felt the sick coming up again.

He turned away as he gagged, not wanting Seán to be disgusted with him as he was sure the Irishman was. He felt pressure on his back, rubbing it in circles, and though it did nothing for the ache Dark found himself thankful nonetheless.

"Okay, I'm getting you a bucket," Seán decided. "Stay put, alright? I'll only be a minute,"

Dark didn't have time to respond before he coughed again, desperately wishing that Seán had brought him some water, at least. He was thankful that before long, the door creaked open once more, but it was neither Seán nor Amy who had come to his rescue this time.

"Okay buddy, just breathe through it,"

Mark handed Dark a cooking pot, and the demon hadn't realised just how pale he was until he saw the complete lack of pallor in his knuckles as he retched again. This time, instead of holding what little fluid his stomach was rejecting, he allowed it to dribble from his lips in what he was sure was a disgusting manner. He felt a little guilty for ruining this perfectly good cooking pot, but before he could apologise, he felt another wave coming.

Amy frowned as she walked in again, holding a few towels. "This is bad, Mark, should we take him to hospital?"

"He can't go looking like that," Mark denied, gesturing to Dark's male body. "And besides, he has no records- no birth certificate, no citizenship, certainly no private health care-"

"So what should we do?"

Dark coughed once more, feeling something in his chest turn over when the dark crimson began to dribble from his lips.

_'No...'_

_ 'What's happening?!' _

_'I wish that I knew, just- stay strong with me, don't let-'_

"Okay, that's not normal," Mark admitted, the only thing betraying his stress being that his voice raised a few octaves higher. Dark blinked hazily, his short term memory escaping him. What had Damien been about to say? He found himself slipping from his seat slightly, the pot tipping over in his now pale white fingers.

"Seán! Tyler!" Amy called, poking her head through the door. "Look, even if we just get the emergency hotline-"

"Just- hold on!" Mark grimaced. "Dark, you gotta keep it together, man, alright? Keep it together, we're gonna get you some help,"

Dark choked again, and this time a dark clot of blood flew from between his lips to settle in the grotesque mixture sitting in the cooking pot. He felt himself pale considerably.

"Holy shit," Seán gasped, rushing immediately to his side. "Is this because of the pregnancy?"

"I don't know!" Mark said frantically, snatching up his phone. "Um- uh, Amy, what's the line for the hospital?"

"But you said-"

"Look, I may not want to trust the man but I don't want him to die!" Mark cried. "Especially not at my house, I'm already suspicious enough without-"

"Okay, just, hold on," Amy said, her voice shrill with adrenaline as she scrolled through her phone with lightning speed.

"Dark? Hey, you still here? Stay with me, Dark, please,"

Dark felt woozy, to put it mildly. He could hear the sound of everyone talking, everyone's concern, but he couldn't string together what they were saying in his mind. It was like he'd lost all functionality, blinking his half-lidded eyes, looking at the man next to him as if he'd never seen him before. Why couldn't he remember? He couldn't feel his arms, and he couldn't feel his legs, and his head was pounding like nothing else. He became aware of himself falling backwards, though he never felt himself hit the sheets of the bed.

The ringing in his ears faded into nothingness.

**~Void~**

Anti wasn't looking where he was going- he'd thought everyone else was inside, and he knew these grounds like the back of his hand, but he still managed to hit something warm and solid on his way out to the pool. He was fortunate enough to have carried the most force when the collision occurred, but he'd pushed the other ego to the ground instantly and now he was worried for them.

Especially worried to see that the other ego was crying too.

Even more worried to see that the other ego was none other than JJ, Wilford's newest fling and one of the ever-growing family of Septiceyes that Anti found himself a part of. Despite his connection to Anti's eldest (and most obnoxious) brothers, Anti hadn't yet found a reason to dislike the dapper man, even if he  _was_  exceedingly quiet.

"Shit! Sorry, JJ," Anti winced, leaning down to help up the mute man as he brushed himself off. Jameson waved off his apology, wiping his eyes dry with a handkerchief he pulled from within his vest, and Anti was led to question just what had left him so teary in the first place.

"You okay?" Anti asked, feeling more than a little awkward. He'd never really spoken to JJ before, having spent most of his time with Dark, but those thoughts were all painful now.

Jameson shook his head hesitantly. He tapped his chest twice, before mimicking cracking an egg on his arm. The tears began again, streaming from Jameson's round eyes, and Anti hadn't realised that he was crying as well.

"Sorry! I didn't mean..." Anti trailed off, realising just what JJ had meant by that motion. "Oh... fuck, dude, I'm sorry,"

Jameson shook his head with a small smile, mouthing something that accompanied his signing though Anti couldn't understand either mode of speech. He flushed in embarrassment, berating himself for not going the extra mile and learning ASL like the rest of his brothers.

_Aren't you just the worst?_

_Best big brother in the world, huh?_

_Bet that's why Dark left you._

_Nobody will ever love y_ _o҉_ _u._

"I- I'm sorry, James, I can't... I can't understand you," Anti admitted, ashamed, his mind spinning so fast that he couldn't tell his left from his right. The voices were pushing him so close to breaking that he wondered why he was still standing.

Jameson tapped his chin thoughtfully. He pointed to the pool, miming freestyle swimming in the air. Anti met his gaze, wondering exactly how the other ego knew what Anti was setting off to do, while also pushing down the nauseating feeling that something was horribly wrong.

"Yeah, do you want to go swimming too?" Anti asked softly. "It... It helps to hide the tears,"

Jameson smiled sadly, but placed his hand firmly in Anti's and began to pull him along the well-worn pathway to the other side of the grounds.

_Keep up, idiot._

_Can't you run?_

_Don't you have a brain?_

_Don't you like having him_ _a̷_ _rou_ _n͘_ _d?_

Something about this embrace, something about this motion, it hearkened back to the days of old. Long before Jameson existed, back when Anti and Dark used to stroll the grounds, marveling at the gardens and wading in the fountains. Now, the gardens were nothing more than a black tumble of weeds, and the fountains had stopped working years ago, but walking with Jameson just now... the place seemed to come to life again.

_It's beautiful, isn't it?_

_Much better than Dark ever was, isn't it?_

_I͇̫̮ͅs̜͖̘̭͓n̥͚̬̱̻̹̫͡͠'̴̤̮̪̯t̗͇̰ ̶̫̲̹͟͠i͖͙̖͙͚̮ͅt̨͍̞̮̠̳̳̬̰͞?͓̠̰̤̗ͅ_ _?_

Anti felt as though he'd been hit by a hammer, stumbling as he tried to keep up with JJ's fast pace as the younger ego tore through the grounds until they were at the pool's edge, tantalizingly close to the water. Anti was almost hesitant to jump in, wondering at his own feelings- his own heart, for how Jameson seemed to remind him so mind-breakingly of his love.

Maybe, he just missed having a hand to hold. Maybe, he just needed a hug.

When he closed his eyes and felt Jameson drift closer to him, part of him knew he shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be doing this, it felt so  _wrong_  to be spending this time with somebody else, but  _why_  did he feel so guilty?

Part of him knew that Jameson's hands were smaller than his own, and they'd never fit like Dark's did around his slim fingers. Part of him knew that Jameson's scent of violets and old cologne could never compare to Dark's own enticing aroma, but Dark didn't want him now.

Not when he had somebody else. Not when he had  _Jack_.

_Jack's twice the man you'll ever be._

_Dark won't ever want you back._

_To think you were starting to warm up to the idea._

_Of having a child?_

_Nobody wants to have yo̸ur child._

_You're too_ _w̴e̕͝a̢̡͢ķ̵̸_ _._

Part of Anti knew that when Jameson kissed him, he shouldn't have kissed back.

But here they were, Jameson pinning Anti down to the cobbled ground with their lips pressed together, eyes closed in temporary bliss. The feeling in Anti's gut only grew stronger, the sinking sensation, the premonition that something was very wrong indeed.

He frowned as he forced their embrace to end, already missing the closeness when he pulled away. So many thoughts wandered his mind- so many that he wasn't sure which ones were his own.

_Dark would kill you if he found out._

_You're disgusting._

_Do you deserve this?_

_Do you deserve him?_

"Wh-what about Wilford?" Anti asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The look in Jameson's eyes seemed to say in return, ' _What about Dark?_ '

Part of Anti knew that when Jameson kissed him a second time, he really had no excuse not to pull away.

Then why didn't he?

_You're a cuck, Anti._

_A slut._

_You'd really give up on Dark that easily?_

_You should be ashamed._

_You should be punished._

_Don't you want this too?_

And part of Anti  _definitely_ knew that he shouldn't be letting Jameson undo his buttons, but he made no move to stop him.

_It's better now, isn't it?_

_I̷̢̫̠s͇̙͍̥̳͇̪͕̞͠n̛̞͙͇͈̱̲̕'͖̣̩̪͚͘͟t͚̙̥̟ ̟̗̬̪̗̭̙̗̜i̷͙̺̻̞͇͜͞t͓̮͎̗̤͖͈̕͝?̛͙̞͈͖̯̲͉͎͢͡_ _?_


	12. Chapter 11

**~Groundlands~**

Markiplier shrugged away his coat, setting it down on the dank floorboards as he stared around at the abandoned apartment complex that had used to be his home. He'd lived here with his mother after his father had died, and then again for a brief time during the early forties, when he'd been on the run in Damien's body, and had nowhere else to go.

It was also where he'd returned just days before he was murdered once more, burned to death in his nightclothes by that insufferable butler and a strange man known only to him as 'Dark'. Though Mark had never heard the man speak, he knew within himself that it could only be Damien, out to get his revenge on Mark for stealing his body.

There was just something so familiar about Dark, something Mark didn't know how to place. It was more than just the energy radiating from Dark's form, the same energy that was keeping Mark alive to this very day. It was all in the way Dark wore his hair, the way he walked, the black clothes that reminded Mark of the two people in his life he'd always miss.

Damien, his dear friend, who hadn't lifted a finger to harm him until just moments before he died. And Celine, his wife, whom the Colonel had stolen from him in spite.

Mark found himself tearing up a little, pulling up a chair and slumping like the sack of muscle and fat that his mind was possessing. It was all the Colonel's fault- everything, from the death of his friends, to the money trickling from his vaults, to his beloved Celine's infidelity. And though the case of his mother's death had closed years ago, sometimes he still wondered if somehow that was William's fault as well.

He'd loved his mother, so much that he'd cried at least twice weekly in her memory, walking around that cold and empty house. She was a good woman- and his father was a good man, but Mark had barely known him before he was whisked away by the cold hands of death on the front line. He'd only been eight years old, and his father had been at war for a year by the time it had happened, and though Mark had cried for him as well, the place held in his heart for his mother was far greater than even his love for Celine.

His mother had been there for him, comforting him, working to keep him happy and healthy despite her grief. Even when they'd moved in with Mark's wealthy uncle and cousin, she'd always put Mark's happiness before her own. And in return, Mark knew he couldn't follow the same path his father had- he knew he couldn't go off to war and leave her behind with nobody else to love.

So as soon as he was able, he'd sold his soul away to become an actor. He was a ripe twelve years old, and he had ambition and drive like his family had never seen before. He wanted nothing more than to make his mother proud, so he took the backlash and the criticism, the pain, the advances- anything to make Hollywood believe he could be the best there truly was. 

He remembered coming home from filming on one fateful day, his back sore from standing for so long. His lips were swollen and abused, concealer rubbing away from the obvious finger-shaped bruises on his arms and thighs, and he was ready to fall into his mother's arms and sleep the pain away before he had to face his director and fellow actors again. He wanted to tell her everything- about the abuse, the growing pit of despair in his stomach, the tightness in his throat- but it wasn't meant to be.

No, instead he returned to a crime scene, with yellow tape and police sirens, a man in a long brown coat stopping him at the front door. The neighbours were crowded around, in their expensive looking nightclothes, while his cousin and uncle stood to the side, answering questions.

His mother was nowhere to be seen.

_"And who are you meant to be, boy? Aren't you too young to be wandering this neighbourhood at night?"_

Mark's fists clenched, remembering how the man's hand on his arm felt so wrong, and unwanted, and disgusting. But he'd only been thirteen, and he'd thought nothing of it, explaining that he lived in the manor that was being investigated so that the uncomfortable feeling would go away.

He didn't know at that young, young age that what his supervisors were coercing him into after the long days on set was hardly legal. He didn't realise that when he was commanded to sink to his knees, he should have run as far away as he could. He didn't know until he married Celine that chastity was important, and that he'd given his away before he'd even known how to protect it.

His mother would have told him what to do, he was certain of it. She wouldn't have let this happen- she was always there to tell him right from wrong. But she was gone.

Though the detective that had stopped him told him about his mother's passing, Mark hadn't wanted to believe it at first. He'd cried aloud, his hurt and confusion doing nothing to distract him from the anguish, the knowledge that he'd never again feel her warm embrace. Her body, when she was revealed in an open casket funeral funded by his uncle, was cold and unwelcoming, and Mark's heart sank knowing he had nobody else to turn to.

His uncle was sympathetic- of course, he grieved as well. Mark's mother was his sister after all, and though she'd never mean as much to him as she did to Mark, the man was quite upset by her death. Mark had worried himself thinking that he was going to be cast out of the house, but in hindsight he knew that his uncle would never abandon him like that. He continued to live with his cousin when he wasn't working, until the day that William dropped out of school to join the army.

They were only seventeen, and Mark was making a small fortune from his career (though it didn't nearly match his uncle's riches, it was certainly enough to keep him stable), and William had been training for this moment since he was fourteen. Unlike Mark, who had spent his teen years trying to sculpt his body to become handsome and plastic without the need for surgery, William had been staying back after school with the scouts, getting into shape, preparing himself for the years of fighting for his country that were soon to come. 

And Mark hadn't known exactly when Damien had joined them- the son of the wealthy businessman who lived just down Oroville Place, but the three had grown up together since Mark was around nine. He'd known Damien had a sister, but as he hadn't attended public school since he was eleven years old, he wasn't acquainted with her until one lonely night, when he'd hosted a dinner party with his fellow actors.

He'd just been copying out a section of his uncle's will, as the man was suffering from a cancerous lump on his chest and wouldn't make it to Christmas, and he had hopes of sending it to William so that his cousin could come home and say goodbye, and request any changes to the will if he felt it was unreasonable. The man who'd taken Mark in at his lowest was sickly and yellow, and even as Mark had written out the letter he found himself realising that William wasn't even going to make it in time. Regretfully, he discarded the letter. There had simply been no point in sending it.

He invited Damien over, as well as a few stars he'd become acquainted with over the years, and he'd expected to spend the night drinking away the hurt- he had no idea he'd meet the love of his life there.

But there she was, Celine Pechman, looking stunning in a midnight black dress that contrasted her pale skin wonderfully, lips dark and eyes twinkling. Mark hadn't been able to take his gaze off her all night, not even bothering to listen to his associates as they used the seclusion of the lounge to trade their designer drugs. Something about her called to him, something that reminded him of the mother he'd lost, something that told him she was the one.

They'd wed within the year.

Mark gritted his teeth in remembrance. Of course, William hadn't been all too happy when he returned from war, littered with bruises and healed over cuts, only just having escaped with the news of his father's death. They were twenty-three years old.

Mark had tried to welcome him home, but William had been livid. He'd shouted at Mark, calling him a cheat and a liar, accusing the actor of wanting William gone so that he could keep the house for himself. Of course, Mark had refused. Of course he'd been offended. This was William, his dear friend and cousin- why would Mark do anything that he was suggesting?

The argument escalated. Bottles were smashed and names were called. William left the house in a drunken rage, and he didn't return for months, but Mark wasn't so certain he wanted William back in the manor at all after that. 

He'd tried to tell himself he wasn't jealous. He'd tried to say he was just concerned about Celine's safety.

At the end of the day, he couldn't even convince himself. He knew where William was coming from- at least, he did then- but he still didn't reach out to his cousin to help him through it.

It was harsh, Mark knew. But harsh was all that he'd known since his earliest days as an actor.

Damien brought him around one night, knocking on Mark's door and giving him a lecture about how insensitive and rude he'd been to cast William out upon the news of his father's death. Apparently, the then Private had been staying with the mayor, and Damien was growing sick of hearing his angry babbling.

Mark found he couldn't blame the mayor for feeling this way. Already, it seemed that William was growing mad.

But then, he was forced to let William back into his house, no matter how paranoid it made him. His footsteps were heavy, his voice loud and gloating. Mark often heard his cousin talking fearlessly with Celine, and found that it hurt him even more to know that they weren't even talking about him. The Chef, Robert, had been employed by Mark's late uncle and had no kindness for Mark, taunting and teasing him about his wife laying with another man. At the time, Mark had thought it was just horrible slander, but he couldn't let the chef go. The man was horrible, but he knew too much about Mark's private life for Mark to feel comfortable letting him off.

So he endured, like he'd always done. Taking the words, the taunting, hoping that one day he'd be able to show them all what he was made of, just as he'd done with every single sexual predator who'd brought him down before.

But, looking back, Mark supposed it hadn't happened that way at all. Celine was dead, Damien was dead- and the Colonel was still out there, living every moment just to spite Mark like he'd done ever since they'd shared the same house.

He wiped his tears, knowing that he was probably red in the face by now, and decided to make himself at home. As of now, he didn't know where his long-forgotten grandchild even lived, let alone the entity that called himself 'Dark', or the mustache-wearing fiend he called family. He didn't know why he'd recounted his tale again, knowing that it only made him hate himself more with every rendition. His mother wouldn't be proud of him if she saw what he'd become.

But he had to wonder, if his mother knew what he'd become by the time he was twenty, had she ever been proud of him at all?

**~Void~**

Wilford had been thinking long and hard about what that doctor was telling him yesterday- between the shouting and the foreign obscurities, that was. Thankfully, his time spent as 'Wingleheimer' in Frankfurt had taught him much about the language of the German people, and he was able to understand most of what the old fart was saying. 

Something he couldn't quite wrap his head around was the idea that he was breaking Jameson's heart- of course, he'd do no such thing! Wilford Warfstache was a kind man, and Jameson was his closest and dearest friend- well, perhaps aside from Dark, but still. And what did old Schneeple know anyway? Wilford knew for a fact that Jameson wasn't troubled by how he lived his life...

He'd said goodbye to Kinkiplier a few minutes after they'd been interrupted- the mood had definitely been killed, and though the bondage-loving ego was left frustrated and bitter, Wilford was left all alone with his thoughts.

Could it be that Jameson was having doubts?

No, of course he wasn't. He'd have let Wilford know if he was upset, right?

Wilford groaned aloud, pulling at his hair in frustration. Why did he even care? It wasn't as if he loved the man, right? He loved Celine, and Celine was gone, but his heart didn't want to listen to reason. In fact, Wilford didn't know what to trust anymore, as sometimes his heart would leap into his throat just observing Dark, but Dark was hardly the woman he'd once fallen for- why couldn't he get past his feelings for her? Why did he find something so similar to her in each of the egos he courted?

Bim, with his confident expression and dark clothes, so similar the the way Celine looked and dressed in the days of old. Kinkiplier, with his otherworldly desires and obsessions, much like Celine's. And Dark, who seemed sometimes so similar to her that Wilford began to doubt the reality that they were different people.

Even the others he'd find himself thinking about if he dwelled on their presence too long- Marvin, with his fiery attitude, and Jackie, whose opinionated arguments really lit up a spark in Wilford's mind. Though those two had never accepted his advances, he saw something in them that was just so familiar to a love he'd once known.

But Jameson? The man had nothing in common with Celine. He was shy, quiet, intimate and caring, while Celine had been outspoken, determined, and untouchable. Wilford often saw Jameson close to tears, while Celine wouldn't dare let her weaknesses show.

What on Earth did he see in the aqua-haired man that made him keep coming back?

Well, Wilford supposed that he was always a cuddler. None of his other partners in this manor really cared for the pillowtalk, and neither, really, had Celine. Though he'd always tried his best to save her from the idiot he called a cousin, even the last time he'd met with her she seemed reluctant to speak to him. Their time together was amazing while it had lasted, though it was all filled with mindless chatter, wine and sex. And really, other than his forgotten high school fling, that was all Wilford had ever known love to be.

But Jameson loved to cuddle- and that's how they spent the most of their time together, whether it be cuddling on the sofa, or cuddling by the pool, or cuddling in Wilford's bed after sex. Wilford found that's what he liked most about the nights spent with Jameson- when he woke up the next day, Jameson was the only one who wanted to remain by his side. Jameson was the only one who wanted to let their relationship show, while Wilford's other interests preferred to be kept in the shadows.

Celine had preferred to keep in the shadows, too.

And how could Wilford forget? Jameson was more accustomed to a time before cellular phones and devices, before fancy cars and jet planes, before convenience killed the drive of the new generation. He was delightfully old-fashioned, and Wilford could appreciate the simpler things with him, like he'd never been free to do with even Celine.

But he didn't love the man. No, that was absurd, even if he wished it were true.

Even if he wished he could stop thinking about her, even if he told himself he didn't love her, even if he sometimes broke down crying because it had been years and she hadn't come to see him.

He loved Celine.

Maybe that's why he found himself so prone to ending up in the wrong bed. Maybe that's why he was afraid of spending too much time with Jameson. Maybe that's why he pursued these people he didn't even admire physically, just wishing for another chance with the one he missed with all his heart.

_But what about Jameson?_

Surely, Wilford was falling. He should have noticed it sooner- heck, he should have noticed it the day he'd let the dapper young man walk into his life, but he'd left it so late that he didn't know what to say. It had been seven long months of an unconventional, broken relationship he'd fought himself maintaining, and for what? To have a sudden moment of realisation like this one, while the room he'd left still smelled of infidelity and forgotten promises?

He licked his lips, conscious of the tears he must have been shedding, the bitter taste of salt on the tip of his tongue. He really was falling, wasn't he?

"I... I love him..." Wilford uttered, as if the words weren't right. "But... I love her too..."

It was mind-boggling, to the point where Wilford would usually give up and let nature take its course, but something inside him wanted to fight it. Something inside didn't want to sink further into madness.

Something inside needed Wilford to make a choice.

He rose from his seat, glancing at the broken fountains and the weed-filled gardens, around him. The manor used to be so beautiful, but now... now it was desolate like Wilford's hopes. 

He shook his head. He needed to find Jameson. 

With each step, Wilford seemed to remember a moment where Jameson had made him happy. A moment he'd laughed at a throwaway comment, or he'd chuckled at a joke, or their closeness had brought him warmth and mirth. As he climbed the staircase, he got his hopes up. He'd... he'd return with a bouquet, and he'd pick all of Jameson's favourites- ooh, and he'd sweep the man off his feet, he'd like that. He walked past Dark's bedroom and through the hall, his heart pounding at what felt like a thousand times a minute, stopping just outside his door. He was sure Jameson would be there- he wasn't in the library or the kitchens, nor out by the pool.

He remembered that Jameson had an affinity for peonies, so he summoned a nice bouquet of the lovely pink flowers, adding a few yellow roses for a nice effect. Surely, Jameson would love them, right?

He knocked. Of course, he'd get no answer, but it was polite to do so anyway. He opened the door, and-

"Jameson, I'm- oh, dear, are you alright?"

Jameson looked up from the bed, where he'd been sitting alone in the dark. He'd been crying, but Wilford had grown accustomed to the tears over these past two months, and was only concerned about Jameson's posture. The man never hunched over like this- something must have been horribly wrong.

Jameson wiped his eyes, looking warily at Wilford as he approached the bed. Wilford sat beside him, wasting no time bringing him closer as he realised that he never went out of his way to comfort his other partners like this when they were down.

"Hey, look at me," Wilford urged, but Jameson's eyes had already fallen back to his own fingers, fidgeting nervously. Something seemed off overall, what with Jameson's tense behaviour, not even mentioning the scent of singed wire and battery acid that seemed to be coming from his lover. But for the life of him, Wilford couldn't determine what was wrong.

Jameson sniffed a little, his muscles tensing when Wilford brushed against him. A part of the pink-haired man seemed to die a little inside, suddenly hurt. Did Jameson not want him near?

Wilford then remembered- he had a bouquet to give the man. Surely, that would bring the smile out of him? He brought the collection of bright flowers out and showed them to Jameson, not anticipating the slap that was coming his way.

Wilford was so shocked that he forgot how to speak for a moment. Jameson was never violent-  _never_ , and he often reprimanded Wilford for being violent as well. What had he done to deserve this? Wilford didn't know, and when Jameson turned tail, running from the room, it still hadn't occurred to him.

He found himself crying, weeping for yet another love he'd lost. Jameson didn't want him anymore. Wilford had been so eager to change, to try again, to talk to Jameson and discover what was wrong- but what was the point, now? It was too late, much too late for forgiveness.

He tossed the bouquet aside, bursting into hot, wet tears once more. Why did the people he loved always leave him? Celine, Damien, now Jameson...

He shuddered. His heart had wanted him to choose a side, but now there was only one side to choose. Wilford found that he didn't know just how much he'd wanted the other option until it was lost to him.

He loved Celine. And he loved Jameson, but if Jameson didn't want him in return, what was the point in pining for him?

It didn't matter that he chose Celine, it seemed. His heart would hurt either way.

At least like this, Celine would never be able to break him more than he'd already broken himself.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

Anti barely had time to hear the knock on his door before it flew open, letting the one ego he didn't really know how to talk to inside Dark's quarters. Somehow, it felt wrong to be with Jameson in Dark's room- especially after what had happened last night. He supposed he deserved to feel guilty- it had taken him years to warm up to Dark enough to trust him with his body, yet he'd given it all away to Jameson when they barely even knew each other. He wasn't sure what had clouded his mind yesterday- the fear, the regret, the knowledge that Dark's baby wasn't even his... he didn't know why he'd let Jameson touch him like that, the way only Dark should have been allowed to touch him.

But he had, and he'd touched Jameson in return, and then they'd done a lot more than just touching as the night progressed. He supposed his hormones must have taken over at some point because it all felt like a haze, like it had never even happened, but he knew it had. And he knew he shouldn't have liked it the way he did.

But he'd liked it. He'd liked it  _a lot_. And he didn't know what that  _meant_. Did he really love Dark, if he'd enjoyed every moment of yesternight's affection, the intimacy, the sensations he'd craved for so long in his lover's absence?

But of course he did- he'd loved Dark for years. Even now, when he felt broken and used and disgusting, he yearned for Dark to return and make it better. Like he wasn't even at fault at all.

Like he hadn't blatantly cheated on the man he'd given his heart.

But he had no time to process his emotions before Jameson pulled him into a hug, the tears falling from his eyes in little rivers of despair. It was tight, and close, and Anti felt like he understood more than anyone what was happening, even though Jameson hadn't said a word.

He realised that he wasn't the only one who had rushed into this mess. He realised that he wasn't the only one with a committed relationship. He realised that he wasn't the only one that needed love so desperately that they sought to find it in another.

He found himself hugging back tightly, tears he'd been pushing back for hours now flooding his cheeks and dripping to his chin, sliding down his neck. 

He realised that he wasn't the only one filled with regret.

"Shh, hey, c-calm down," Anti tried to soothe, but the truth was that he was no better. He was one wrong word away from losing his mind, and it was obvious to both of them. But he felt like he had a duty to Jameson now, a duty to help him pick up the pieces now that they were involved in such a stupid, intimate way.

Jameson's sniffles died down a little, but the tears still came, and- oh, his handkerchief must be in his vest somewhere. That's where it had been yesterday, right?

But Anti felt wrong as his hands roamed Jameson's torso, his mind filled with images of ripping away these clothes and tracing the muscles beneath Jameson's modest button-up shirt. He closed his eyes as he found the elusive handkerchief, balling it in his fists as he felt Jameson's hand brush against his own.

The touch was sending him wild, but he didn't want it. He didn't want to fall further into this- he was with Dark! He loved Dark, and he didn't want to throw what he and Dark had away, but he couldn't stop himself as he inched that little bit closer, brushed that little bit harder, getting blood from his neck wound all down his one-time lover's chest.

"I'm sor-ry," Anti hiccuped, knowing this wasn't the first time he'd messed up Jameson's clothes with his own bodily fluid. "F-for everything, JJ, I..."

And Jameson seemed to understand- at least, Anti was sure he wasn't trying to fight it. The mustached man held him close as the sniffles died down, and all that was left was the shuddering of their bodies, their hearts thumping loudly with adrenaline and their heads pounding with memories of last night's sins.

Jameson was tracing something onto Anti's chest, but Anti didn't know how to interpret it- he could only pull away, red faced and solemn, and shake his head nervously.

"N-no, I can't... I don't know w-what you're saying..."

Jameson gave him a patient smile, one that Anti felt sure he barely deserved, and summoned a little whiteboard with a marker. Why hadn't Anti thought of that earlier?

_Because until now, you two let your bodies do the talking, didn't you?_

Jameson turned the whiteboard around and let Anti see what he'd written- he had very nice handwriting for someone who didn't need to write all that often, but though the message was written beautifully, it still cut Anti in places he'd thought he'd fortified against.

_'I'm not sorry'_

"Wh-why?" Anti shivered, holding himself around the middle to stop his fidgeting. "We shouldn't b-be together like this, JJ, we... we're spoken for,"

Jameson frowned, and Anti knew that he was right. No matter how free he'd felt while in the moment, all that awaited when he looked back was regret and fear. Fear for how Dark might react- fear for how  _Wilford_  might react if he knew Anti was messing around with his man- and regret because Anti couldn't see how giving his love away like this was anything but damaging.

The mute rubbed away what was written on the board, scribbling a new message. Anti waited patiently for the reply, wondering just how he was going to break it to the man before him that he didn't want this- he didn't want  _any_  of this.

Jameson revealed his message.

_'Not together anymore'_

"Oh..." Anti uttered. He'd thought Jameson had finally caught on and found out about Wilford's other partners last night, but he hadn't thought they'd broken up. Were they even really together in the first place? Anti hadn't cared much about a relationship that wasn't his own, but now he was kicking himself for sleeping with a man who might well have been taken at the time.

"Why?" Anti asked, wondering if this was a little too intrusive.

_Only you would worry about talking after literally having sex._

_You secretly liked it, didn't you?_

_You want m҉or̶e, don't you?_

_I wonder what Dark would think?_

_Maybe he'd fuck both of you._

_Bet you'd like that, w̴o҉͘u̧͢l͝͠d͡n̷͢͞'̡̕t̷̵͏ you?_

_You little  s͏̙̗͎͖̕l̗̘͚̩̲̮u̝̙̮͕̮̫͎̦͠t̨͙̠͓͘͠_    _._

Jameson squeezed Anti's arm reassuringly, and the glitch found himself relaxing a little, wiping away some of the more persistent tears as they streaked down his face.

_'He doesn't love me'_

"B-but..." Anti sniffed. "I... I don't love you either..."

Jameson didn't look shaken at all. He didn't wipe away his previous message, but he added to it at the bottom of the little board.

_'I know'_

"But then why-?" Anti started, but was interrupted by the door slamming open. Startled, he jumped a little farther away from Jameson, scared that they might be caught- of course, they weren't doing much other than talking and crying, but his conscience was still weighing deep in his chest. He turned to see who had barged in without knocking, expecting it to be Schneep or his fiance, only to find an upset-looking Robbie standing in the doorway.

Beside him was the man that scared Anti the most in this manor- Author. Or as he preferred now, 'The Host'. The glitch couldn't help but bite his tongue in fear that Dark's brother would expose him and his lies, but Host didn't seem very spiteful. In fact, right now he only seemed concerned.

The blindfolded man seemed to stare right through them as they hung their heads, both seeming to know that there was no getting out of this one.

"The Host heard everything," Host muttered grimly. "And The Host had accidentally let the information slip to Robbie, who had been sitting and watching the sports channel with The Host."

Robbie rushed forward to engulf both of his brothers in a hug, not even caring that his striped blue and white shirt was getting filthy with blood and tears. He cared about Jameson a lot, and he'd come to care deeply for Anti as well. Knowing that both of his brothers were in emotional peril, he couldn't stand to remain silent- he had to help. He had to help them through this in any way he could.

"You... two... no... date," Robbie sounded, though he was very grateful for the translation being offered by his significant other, Host. "You... don't... belong,"

Anti nodded, though he still looked incredibly upset. "Yeah, Robs, I... I know..."

Jameson nodded as well, but the mute man seemed even more troubled than Anti was. Robbie squeezed him a little in reassurance, smiling when Jameson's lips twitched despite himself. Even if he couldn't solve their problems, he could make them smile through the pain.

There was a resounding crash coming from the next room, and even Robbie flinched, all of the gathered Septiceyes looking to The Host for some kind of explanation.

The Host's lips turned until he was frowning. "The Host can no longer narrate Wilford's doings, and so he must assume that the man has left the Void."

Anti locked eyes with Jameson, seeing the hurt and the worry even beneath his tough exterior. He couldn't stop himself from reaching out and holding him, trying to make him feel just that little bit better. He could put aside the feelings of betrayal and upset that threatened to spill, if only to console his family member.

Now, both of their lovers were gone.

Now, there was nobody stopping them from being together.

But that was never what they'd wanted, not really. All they'd wanted was love from the ones they craved the most.

And now, after everything, they were stuck together with a bag of mixed feelings and nobody else to turn to.

Anti sniffed bitterly. He'd find a way to fix this, and help Jameson get back to Wilford. He knew that the mute man still loved him, and still wanted to be with him, and Anti would be there to fix the puzzle he'd managed to fall into. Even if Dark would never forgive him.

Even if he could never forgive himself.

_You're just his little t͝o͞o͠l̷, Anti._

_You don't want that, do you?_

_He's us̷i̢ņg_   _you._

_Dark used you, too._

_You don't mean a̸n̡͝y͠͠ţ̶h͏͘̕in͢͠g._

_Why believe you're making a difference?_

**~Groundlands~**

"So you say he's a hermaphrodite?" The doctor asked, somehow remaining calm despite Mark, Amy and Seán's panicked expressions. Dark was lying on a hospital bed, unconscious, looking paler than ever. After he'd collapsed like that, the friends knew that they had to get him to a hospital, quick- they'd called 911 and had given away their address, pacing as they waited for an ambulance to turn up. Dark didn't stir, and he didn't even move when the paramedics had carried him on a stretcher to the automobile, remaining unconscious for the entire trip.

Seán had demanded that they all be allowed to come along, and maybe it was the fact that one of the paramedics was a fan, but regardless, he succeeded. Amy and Seán had ridden in the ambulance with Dark as they ran a few checks on their way to the hospital, while Mark drove with Tyler to the emergency parking zone. They'd all met up in the hospital lobby, and after a few gruelling hours, they'd all been allowed to see the doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Mark was terrified of any questions they'd ask him about Dark- he was hardly a normal human, after all. He had strange auras (that appeared to have subsided during his pregnancy, but they were there if you squinted) and grey skin, and not to mention how extremely heavily pregnant he was.

And the way the doctor looked at them when they entered told them that he wasn't quite sure what to make of the man in his care. He looked like he'd seen a ghost, which was very alarming. Mark didn't want to have to break out of here with Dark's body because the government was going to cut him up and probe him, but he knew that it would be Seán's immediate reaction, so he had to be prepared for anything.

Thankfully, the doctor didn't seem to have alerted anybody else to the strangeness that was Darkiplier. He'd beckoned them all to sit as they looked at Dark's immobile, lifeless body, even Mark getting worried for his wellbeing.

Tyler had left to catch Ethan up, who was still at their house and would have remained there if nobody told him something was happening. That left just Mark, Seán and Amy to deal with the onslaught of questions to come. Though having Tyler here wouldn't serve as any kind of help, Mark still felt a little vulnerable without him around.

"Yeah," Mark gulped, not really sure himself about the nature of Dark's gender identity. Amy had said he was transgender and genderfluid, but generally transgender people had to go through a hell of a lot of surgery to get to where Dark was now and it was better to avoid bringing up medical history that was nonexistent. If they didn't fix this now, Dark may not ever be around to take offense to being misgendered, anyway.

"And are either of you the father of his child?"

Both Mark and Amy looked at Seán, wondering if he was really ready to put it out there and accept that there was really no other option. The Irishman licked his lips nervously, as if he was still uncertain, but he spoke anyway. 

"Yep, that's me..."

The doctor didn't seem fazed by the fact that he had an apparent non-straight couple in his surgery, so that was a major plus. He flipped through his notes, possibly to find more questions. Mark was hardly going to believe that looking over Dark was any sort of easy task.

"And he has no medical history?"

This time, the doctor looked pointedly at Seán, who was beginning to sweat.

"I... uh, not that I know of," Seán evaded. "We uh... we've only been together two months,"

The doctor shook his head. "Then I'm afraid the child is not yours at all- judging simply by the size of his abdomen and the results from the ultrasound, the fetus has to be at least six months old."

" _Six months_?" Seán asked incredulously. Mark's eyes had widened, and Amy's brows had furrowed. They'd only been able to put together that Dark's baby wasn't Anti's by elimination, but now it couldn't even have been Seán's... who else had Dark been sleeping with?

"Mark?" Amy whispered while the doctor was preoccupied with Seán. 

"Yeah?"

"I'm worried for him," Amy muttered, biting her lip as she looked over the unconscious man before them. "He just seemed so... so  _alive_  yesterday, and now he looks worse than death,"

Mark swallowed nervously. "I... I know, it's weird, I... I didn't even know this could happen,"

"And are you related to him in any way?" The doctor asked Mark, having seemed to finally grasp that Seán knew next to nothing about Dark's state of being.

Mark didn't quite know how to answer this. Dark very obviously bore his resemblance, and they could be written off as siblings- but he also knew that the doctor would then want to ask him about Dark's medical history, and he wasn't nearly prepared to make up any bullshit for that when they needed a proper diagnosis.

"No," Mark decided. "Just a crazy doppelganger,"

The doctor didn't look entirely convinced, but he moved on anyway. He flicked through a few more pages, before settling on one. He looked up at them, confused and concerned.

"The nurse who first checked over his body was not sure what had caused him to faint," the doctor started.

"Wait, there's nothing wrong with him?" Mark asked. He was sure that couldn't be right- Dark had never showed any signs of illness before, and he was sure the demon was powerful enough to persevere through it if he had. Whatever had caused him to faint so suddenly was definitely serious.

The doctor sighed. "If only- in fact, there seemed to be innumerable problems that at any moment could have caused it. Remarkably, the man remains alive and breathing through this- especially when he has all of these defects. Our first prognosis was a stroke, and this was supported by the amount of blood clots that were picked up by the ultrasound, as well as the recounts you three provided,"

"He was coughing up clots of blood," Amy agreed, looking rather pale. "But... I thought stroke happened when a blood vessel burst in your brain,"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, but there are many different ways in which a stroke can be triggered- besides, the clots were quite numerous and in various parts of the body, some immobile and some free-flowing. We have injected him with Heparin that will hopefully clear those up, but don't let him hurt himself on any sharp objects during the week- it will cause his body to behave similarly to a haemophiliac, as the blood will not be able to clot properly at the site of the wound,"

"But what else could it have been?" Seán asked, looking even more worried as the conversation progressed.

The doctor shook his head. "After looking at the body in detail, the nurse listed everything that could be considered abnormal. But what frightens me the most is that he seems to have a bullet wound just below his ribcage, and by the look of it, it's fresh."

Mark swallowed nervously, having had a suspicion this would be brought up again, while both Amy and Seán started in their seats.

"Bullet wound?!" Seán asked incredulously, somehow forgetting that if he was trying to keep up the charade of dating Dark he'd have obviously seen the man shirtless.

"The nurse couldn't believe it either," the doctor agreed. "She checked, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of a bullet entering his body- no increase in adrenaline, nor any disruption of his stomach and intestines. She doused it in antiseptic and continued her survey without a second thought, but I thought I should bring it up to you in case it rang a bell,"

The three exchanged wary looks. This was panning out to be much worse than they had expected.

"And that's not all, I assume," Mark broke the silence, not really wanting to have to explain how he knew about the bullet wound.

"You'd be correct," the doctor sighed. "Did any of you know of self harming tendencies, or have you witnessed a situation that would give insight to the multiple slits on his arms?"

Seán looked incredibly disturbed as he shook his head. "No, but... how long has it been going on?"

The doctor shook his head. "It's impossible to determine, but the wounds were numerous. We had suspected that if not by stroke, he fainted due to anaemia."

"Shit..." Seán sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Please say that's the end,"

"Hardly," the doctor continued. "It's almost as if every disease known to man decided to attack him at once. I hate to be the bearer of this news, but... he's got stage four breast cancer. Quite a vicious cancer as well, it seems- being incredibly generous, I'd say he's got about three years to live. And that's if anything else he has doesn't kill him first."

Mark's heart seemed to shatter, his grip on Amy's hand loosening and his lips trembling.

"C-cancer... fuck,"

Amy patted his back, though she seemed close to tears, looking at the man who was barely covered in his hospital gown. Seán didn't seem to be taking the news any better, looking to his feet, small tears beading up in his eyes.

The doctor suddenly seemed very empathetic. "I'm sorry to have caused such a shock- I lost my mother to lung cancer four years ago, it's quite... painful whenever I have to diagnose it in my patients,"

Mark sniffed, not knowing he'd been crying until now. "I lost my dad to cancer when I was eighteen... I never really liked Dark, but... damn it. I wouldn't wish cancer on anybody,"

Amy held him close, but she was really concerned about Seán right now. He didn't have anybody to hold as he tried to process this news. She knew he was close with Dark, and he must be feeling the worst of this revelation, but he managed to sit up and compose himself, if only for Mark's benefit.

"Nothing else?" Seán asked hopefully.

The doctor offered him a sad smile. "I'd saved the worst for last, so there's nothing more major- though with what we've just discussed, I would keep a close eye on him and his child. I'd recommend that you take him to monthly checkups, just to keep track of him and make sure nothing else like this happens again, as well as to monitor the cancer- unfortunately, we have nobody here equipped to handle cancer treatment currently. I'd say he'll be fine- at least for the duration of his pregnancy. Please note that the risk of stroke and other afflictions due to his blood levels will only increase postnatally- I wish you all the best of luck."

Mark nodded, knowing that since he didn't have the private health care for Dark, he'd have to take the man home before long anyway. Considering he wasn't in need of surgery, there was really no reason for him to stay here anyway.

"Would you like to rent a wheelchair for him?" The doctor asked kindly. "Stroke victims may experience temporary paralysis, and I wouldn't want you to have to carry him everywhere while he recovers,"

"Paralysis?" Amy asked, barely believing it. "How... how is he not dead?"

"It escapes me," The doctor responded truthfully, handing Seán a few scripts for Dark's new medication. "Please, take care of him,"

"Trust me," Seán shuddered, looking at Dark carefully. "I will."

They'd left the hospital with Dark still limp and cold, Seán holding his hand on the drive back to Mark's house. He couldn't help but feel as though he was responsible for this- though within him, he knew that he couldn't have been the cause of the clotting or the cancer, and  _fuck_ , the cancer... He hadn't expected that curveball. It was bad enough that Dark had a stroke, but now he had very serious breast cancer to go along with it, and  _shit_ , how was he going to explain this when Dark woke up?

_If he woke up..._

Seán shook himself out of it. Of course Dark would wake up- he's Dark! He'd brought himself back from apparent death the day Signe had returned from visiting her family, and from what he'd seen it wasn't the first time he'd evaded mortality. He just had to believe everything was going to be okay.

_Even if deep down, I know that it won't be._


	13. Chapter 12

**~Void~**

Google felt himself stumble as the ground shook beneath him, turning just in time to see the manor begin to crumble behind him. He'd just left to accomplish his first ever self-assigned task- to locate and retrieve Blank from wherever he was camping out, but that was the last thing on his mind as he realised the implications of what was unfolding.

Chunks of stone loosened and fell from the walls and shingles broke free from their places, all disintegrating before they hit the ground. Slowly but surely, Darkiplier Manor was coming down.

Wasting no time, Google leaped into action- he was designed to protect people, right? He was entirely sure that this act fell under that category as he rushed forward, reaching out to the house to try and prevent its inevitable collapse for just a few minutes longer. It took up most of his memory, but it was a sacrifice Google was willing to make as the egos began to pour out by the number, looking increasingly more shaken as the time played out.

First came Marvin and Yandereplier, both looking shocked and pale, beckoning Bing and Chase to follow them out. Bing halted a few feet from the door, locking eyes with Google.

 _'Assist me,'_  Google sent over their shared network, and Bing immediately went slack as he too focused his mind on keeping the manor stable.

After a few moments, Chase stopped trying to get Bing to move, finally noticing that the android was helping Google, and ran back inside to assist what looked like the doctors stumbling from the wreckage.

The moments passed in a blur, and Google found himself growing faint. If he kept this up, he'd fade within minutes, but he had a duty to his fellow egos that he wanted to honour with his newfound life. He gritted his teeth and held his own against the tide of weariness that threatened to overcome him, not even noticing that everyone had vacated the manor until he was forcibly shaken from his trance.

"Google! Stop, you're hurting yourself!"

Chase was there, tugging on Google's arm as the android focused on his surroundings again. Every ego except for Wilford was accounted for, and Google lowered his hold on the manor, watching it crumble and fade as if it were never there. Instantly, sensory overload hit him like a blow to the nose and he crumpled, falling to his hands and knees.

"Google!"

Google found himself panting out of some learned habit, letting someone he recognised as Bing lift him to his feet again. He caught himself on Bing's shoulder, steadying himself again as his systems slowly recovered from the massive energy drain.

"I am not wounded," Google huffed. "Let me be."

"No way," Chase frowned. "You can't just overexert yourself like that-"

"Are you happy that I saved your pathetic human lives or not?!" Google snapped, glaring at the mass of egos that had come over to see the catastrophe that was unfolding. He took pleasure in the way they squirmed under his threatening stare.

"Hold your tongue, Google!" Dr. Schneeplestein commanded, running over and examining him carefully. "Gott im Himmel, ve vere only looking out for you!"

"I don't  _need_ -" Google began, but a message sent from Bing cut him off.

_'Don't bother. They won't get it.'_

Google huffed again, meeting Bing's gaze curiously. He knew that the others, with their human beliefs and values would never understand what it's like to know that you're worthless. But he'd always assumed that Bing had never truly felt like a machine.

Could he possibly have been wrong about the younger android? Or was Bing just showing him empathy?

Google groaned in frustration, not knowing what to trust as the doctors checked him over.

"You seem to be fine- but don't do zat again," Dr. Schneeplestein chided.

"He's right, Google," Dr. Iplier agreed. "We did need you then, but we may need you further yet. Calm yourself and stand down, where is Wilford?"

"The Host informs his brother that Wilford has left the Void," The Host spoke, arms crossed and frowning. "The Host does not wish to disclose the reason behind his vacation,"

"And why not?" Ed Edgar all but shouted. "That there house nearly crushed me flat, right Silver?"

Silver nodded, also looking quite disgruntled. "Yes, it did."

"I'm sure zat Host has his reasons," Dr. Schneeplestein interceded, before Anti piped up.

Google had forgotten that he lived in the manor now- he hadn't been around for over a week, after all, but here he stood, looking quite upset, but Google couldn't determine why. He decided that it must have something to do with Dark- Anti didn't really feel much for any of his fellow egos, Google had previously concluded.

The glitch shuddered. "Drop it, guys. It's personal."

Next to him, Jameson Jackson nodded vigorously, crying a little from those bright blue eyes. Surely if anyone had an idea of what had happened, it would be Wilford's favourite muse. But Google hesitantly digressed. However much he didn't trust the glitch, he supposed it really was a personal matter.

Observing the way Jameson's hand was wrapped tightly around Anti's to the small gap between their shoulders, all the way down to the red that was seeping through Jameson's shirt, Google didn't have to look far to determine a possible personal reason that fit the bill. Wilford was a rather hypocritical man- he could dish but he couldn't take it, to use a common metaphor. Even if it wasn't obvious to everyone else, Google had crystal clear vision and scanners in his optics. Those two had infidelity written all over them.

But he remained silent. It would only inhibit the progression of his primary objective to reveal what he'd determined to the rest of the egos, who were now discussing where exactly they were going to live until Wilford returned.

Two months ago, when the doctors had banded together to make a house, it had been living hell. There was hardly any room, everyone was knocked out with exhaustion trying to help, and it had fallen to ruin by the end of it. Google supposed he could attempt to build one in a pinch, but given how hard his system had taken the task of holding the manor stable for a few minutes, he decided maybe he wasn't the best option either.

Anti cleared his throat, interrupting the doctors as they planned out another living arrangement, and everyone turned to look at him expectantly.

"I've got a place," Anti put forward. "It's... a little ways walk from here, but it's a building, at least. Maybe Halter will take in a few of you if it gets too crowded,"

Dr. Schneeplestein smiled warmly at the glitch, apparently not noticing the wince that left Anti's lips when he hugged the older ego.

"Danke, Anti," Dr. Schneeplestein thanked him. "Komm, egos! Ve must escape ze darkness before something foul happens,"

Google walked alongside the others, deciding that his mission to help Blank could be put on hold in light of finding the others a safe place to live. He didn't trust Anti as far as he could throw him- though to be fair, Google could throw him farther than any of his brethren. His own metaphor had turned against him, and he scowled, growing evermore frustrated with learning how to use these literary devices.

Bing shot him a smile, as if he could see the anger on Google's face. Google only glared in return.

These feelings, these emotions, these expectations to learn and implement slang and metaphors into his daily conversations... was this truly going to be worth the trouble?

_'Trust me, Dude. It's so worth it.'_

Bing acted as though nothing had occurred, but Google found that the words were somewhat reassuring. Bing had gone through all this before, he reasoned. Even if it had been long ago.

Google could get the hang of this lifestyle, he was sure of it. He was always changing, always improving. Surely he could improve upon at least some of his social skills.

So he looked up and memorised a few phrases to put into practise, his foul mood forgotten as he walked with the others. He could do this.

He could become human. Even if sometimes, he didn't want to be.

**~Groundlands~**

"Seán!"

The Irishman turned upon hearing his name, almost dropping the bowl of mashed potatoes he'd been holding onto the staircase, but thankfully he caught it just in time. He glared mockingly at Mark, but even he could tell his heart wasn't in the humourous response.

"Staahp, I could have dropped my cousins," he tried to joke, but his voice was just a little too strained for comfort. Mark didn't look any better- remarkably, the news that Dark was dying seemed to have knocked some empathy into him, and though it shouldn't have taken this long, Seán supposed he should be happy Dark had a place to stay. Especially when he was recovering from a turn like this, with no telling when he'd get better.

Despite the macabre scene, Mark gave Seán a sad smile to show that his efforts to lighten the mood were appreciated, if not successful. "Take some water with you, don't let him get dehydrated,"

"Will do," Seán replied, catching the bottle Mark tossed to him and tucking it under his elbow. He was glad that Mark was trying to forgive Dark, no matter what the circumstances were, and there was nothing to do but be grateful for it right now.

After all, between what happened with Miranda just last month and how many people Mark had lost in the past decade alone, Dark's ill health and inevitable death was probably hitting far too close to home for his comfort. The man was his grandfather, after all, and Seán remembered all too well just how hard losing family really was to heal from.

But he shook those troubling thoughts aside. Dark needed him now, and he had to be ready to answer all of the questions that the demon could think of- it was the least he could do. But then, with the amount of problems that Dark was exhibiting, it was probably the best he could do as well.

He knocked gently on the door. "Hey buddy, you up?"

A harsh cough sounded from the other side of the door, solidifying Seán's suspicions that the man was awake, but his eyebrows furrowed when the coughing didn't stop.

_To hell with privacy- his health has to come first._

Seán opened the door and set the plate aside, feeling a major sense of deja vu from yesterday morning as he rushed to Dark's side, giving him a recently-hosed cooking pot to hack into. He didn't understand how Mark didn't own any damn buckets- how the hell did he mop the place? But a cooking pot was doing the trick just fine as Dark keeled over, little black beads of blood dribbling from his chapped lips. _  
_

Seán couldn't help but feel worried, even though the doctor had said this would happen- it just wasn't right to see the man who had absorbed his sprained wrist without batting an eye in May suddenly fall prey to most afflictions Seán could name. Dark's last few coughs were accompanied by choked sobbing sounds as he continued to shudder, letting his body reject the clots of old blood that had most likely caused his accident yesterday.

Seán placed a hand on Dark's shoulder. He hated how useless he was being during all this, wishing there was something he could do to help ease the pain, but knowing that there was nothing he could really do but provide emotional and physical support in the long run.

Dark spat into the pot, clearing his mouth of the excess blood as the clots coming up had appeared to stop. Seán met his eyes, so devoid of hope and happiness that the Irishman felt like crying himself.

"H-hello," Dark rasped, and Seán cursed aloud.

"Fuck, I forgot- here, drink this, you must be parched,"

Seán handed Dark the bottle, and the demon tried his best to open it- it was hard for Seán to watch as Dark's knuckles turned white trying to shift the lid, but anyone could tell Dark wasn't going to succeed at this. After a few seconds, Seán took the bottle and uncapped it with ease, feeling even more worry begin to knot in his stomach. How weak was Dark really?

The demon closed his eyes in pain and embarrassment. "Thank you, Seán..."

He took a long sip, then another. It seemed to go down fine, but Dark was soon choking again, his hair matted with sweat and his eyes sunken despite his hours upon hours of sleep.

This wasn't good.

"Do you remember anything about what happened?" Seán asked him.

Dark's brows furrowed and he sat back against the mountain of pillows they'd used to prop him up. "I only remember... patches of it. Even then, I only remember patches of... everything. I feel like part of me is missing... Amy told me you were bringing in some food, and..."

Dark frowned. "I don't... I don't recall any further,"

Seán sighed, holding his head in his hands. "Shit, Dark, I didn't think it'd be this bad..."

Dark looked fearful- an emotion Seán hadn't really seen him express before. His eyes were wide and weary, glazed over and red. He didn't look well at all. In fact, Seán could argue that he looked like more of a zombie than Robbie probably did up close.

"Please," Dark pleaded, holding onto Seán's hand weakly. "Tell me,"

"I..." Seán began, not really knowing where to start. "I mean, it's very... wait. You... you can read my mind, can't you? Wouldn't you already know by now?"

Dark blinked uncertainly. "I'm afraid... I'm afraid that my otherworldly abilities seem to be non-functional. I can't... I can't hear a thing..."

"Hey," Seán interrupted Dark's incoherent rambling, noticing that he was nodding off again. "The doctor said we have to keep you awake, don't go to sleep on me,"

Dark blinked lazily, his eyes slightly unfocused. Seán regretfully tapped him on the cheek a few times, before biting his lip and resorting to a soft slap.

Dark's eyes fluttered open again, though he still seemed dizzy. He winced, holding his hands to his head as if there was some kind of cacophony happening in the room.

"You okay?" Seán asked, feeling incredibly guilty for having to resort to violence.

Dark made an incoherent grumbling sound, but Seán didn't feel like it was meant in a mean way. He was probably experiencing a migraine of some kind- the doctor had told him that migraines were common after suffering a stroke.

"Dark," Seán said, nudging the demon's arm. "Dark, come on,"

Dark finally managed to find his focus again, eyes snapping up to meet Seán's as he looked at the Irishman, apparently baffled.

"Seán? I don't... I don't feel so well,"

Seán patted his back softly, nudging just a little closer to him as he sat with Dark on the bed, trying not to make too much contact in case it became too painful for the demon.

"You had a stroke, Dark," Seán finally admitted. "It was... it was terrifying to watch,"

Dark's breathing slowed a little as he blinked softly, not seeming to truly understand the implications of what Seán had just revealed.

"I... I imagine that it would be..." Dark uttered, and Seán grabbed his hand sharply when he saw that Dark's eyes were closing again.

"Dark,  _no_ \- stay alert, please, we don't want to lose you," Seán pleaded, watching as Dark slowly lifted his head, as if it was taking every ounce of his energy not to collapse.

"You seem to forget..." Dark began, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I'm part demon, I can... I can heal..."

"No, don't give me that," Seán interceded, not letting his hand leave Dark's as he proceeded to explain the rest of what the doctor had told them. "It wasn't just a stroke- you have cancer, like, really  _bad_ cancer. And blood clots everywhere, and a bullet hole- and Dark,  _listen_ , you didn't have a bullet wound when you were putting on clothes before, and there's no other explanation. You've gotta be- I don't know, losing your touch or something, because so many things have gone wrong in your body that you don't even know about and-"

"Shhh...." Dark urged, his voice a little slurred. "Too much talking... I know... I know about the cancer..."

Seán started a little, but stopped himself from jumping, not wanting to hurt Dark any more than necessary. "You knew?!"

Dark winced once more, and Seán quickly apologised for causing so much noise, silently berating himself for forgetting just how fragile Dark really was right now.

"Yes, I knew..." Dark breathed. "I... I've known for years... but I had contained... contained it..."

Seán sighed in frustration, but knew that Dark was trying his best. If he was even half as scatterbrained as he sounded, of course he wouldn't have comprehended that what he thought was a contained area of cancer cells was now a fully-fledged stage four irreversible chronic disease.

"No, Dark," Seán said patiently. The doctor had also warned him that stroke victims are often aware of just how slow and annoyingly incapable they were, and most developed severe depression and beliefs of being a burden on their caretakers because of this. He didn't want Dark to feel like a burden- but he supposed that normal victims of cancer and stroke didn't usually try to deny they happened like this, either.

Seán licked his lips, realising that he'd been talking for so long that they'd begun to dry out. "It's not contained, it's widespread and it's killing you,"

Dark blinked a few times, his glassy eyes leaking tears that Seán knew weren't even related to the emotional shock this would normally cause. He pressed the bottle once more into Dark's hands, but the demon didn't take another sip.

"That's... that's okay," Dark swallowed, coughing again. Seán grabbed the discarded cooking pot, but Dark pushed it away, his coughs subsiding within moments.

"Just a tickle," Dark explained. "It's okay... because I can just... I can just..."

Seán felt the first tear begin to slip from his eye as he fought back a sob, suddenly reminded so very much of watching his grandmother's last months on Earth. The scattered speech, the memory loss, the slowness... though Seán knew that Dark didn't have Alzheimer's (or maybe he did, Seán didn't trust anything anymore) it was the same feeling in his stomach that welled up, full of repressed memories and wishes and regrets.

"F-fuck," Seán shivered, unable to stop the coming waterworks. "Dark, listen to me, please- you're  _dying_ , and it's p-pretty bad, please..."

Dark gave Seán's hand a feeble squeeze, as if that would somehow make up for the horrifying ordeal this was turning out to be.

"Bullet... hole?"

"Yeah, right... right here," Seán said, gesturing to the spot the doctor had pointed to, while also being careful not to touch it. Regardless of whether it was actually a bullet wound or not, having a chunk of flesh missing must really hurt.

Dark frowned a little. "But I... I haven't been... shot since..."

He paled, and Seán's breath hitched in his throat, wondering if he was going to faint again.

"Dark? Hey, listen, tell me what's-"

"Since I found... Wilford..." Dark finished, tears rolling unwittingly from his eyes. "Dear... it's been... decades..."

"You need some more water?" Seán asked warily.

Dark declined, shaking his head slowly. "I will be... fine... is my daughter... alright?"

Seán let out a relieved sigh as the conversation took a happy turn. "Y-yeah, Dark, she's all good. She's... she's actually a lot bigger than we'd thought she was..."

Dark cocked his head to one side, and Seán put himself on high alert in case Dark's body fell limp and he hit the side of the bed. Good Lord, he was glad he never became a medic. Even someone with ADHD like himself would have a hard time watching everything, making sure his patient didn't harm himself with anything lying around.

"What... what do you mean...?"

"Doctor said she was at least six, maybe seven months old," Seán explained, sighing with relief when Dark straightened up, no longer at risk of hitting his head. But he just couldn't be too careful after what had already happened.

"But that's... impossible..." Dark countered. "I can... I can pinpoint the... the day she was conceived... it has only been... nine weeks..."

"At first," Seán swallowed not knowing if either he or Dark were really ready to acknowledge this yet. "When you said she was around two and a half months old, I... I thought maybe it was... somehow my child."

Seán had been wary of telling Dark this information, knowing his reaction couldn't possibly be good, but he didn't expect Dark to give a quiet chuckle in return.

"Don't be... don't be ridiculous, Seán..." Dark waved him off. "She is Anti's... baby..."

"But he's not-" Seán started, "He's not corporeal, Dark, how can-?"

"Shh..." Dark said again, holding a hand to his own head as he grimaced in pain. "Turn out the lights, Seán,"

Seán blinked. "Why?"

"Just... do it..."

Seán had figured that Dark was just oversensitive or something- after all, he had just woken up after experiencing life-threatening trauma. He was wary to leave the demon's side, even to venture a few feet to the switch, but he did so at Dark's insistence, worrying his bottom lip as he walked.

_FLICK!_

"There," Seán sighed, turning around. "Now what-?"

He found himself knocked speechless by what the darkness had uncovered. Though it hadn't been noticeable in the light, Dark seemed to be... glowing.  _Really_  glowing, but- no, it wasn't Dark. Rather, it was the moderately sized bump on his abdomen, that was emanating a dim green light- just above the belly-button. It wasn't bright enough to cast shadows, but it was definitely visible as Seán walked over to see.

"Whoa..." Seán trailed off. He didn't know quite what to make of it.

He saw Dark smile softly in the green light, resting a hand near the source of the faint glow. "She has his eyes, Seán."

Well, she sure as hell didn't have Seán's eyes, that was certain. The Irishman couldn't help but reach out, touching the smooth skin as he felt a kick, then another. She certainly seemed... stronger than the last time he'd felt her. And considering that was only two days ago, he found himself deeply concerned.

Was it because of the baby that Dark was feeling so weak?

"Until now, I could..." Dark began. "I could... hear her... Thinking... Dreaming... Feeling..."

"Oh, that's another thing," Seán remembered, not meaning to cut Dark off. "You were right, Dark- it's a she. We saw on the ultrasound,"

Dark scoffed knowingly. "Of course she is... I'd know..."

Seán let out a small sigh of happiness. It had been all he could really muster during this time, knowing that beneath the ghost of a smile on Dark's face there must have been a grimace of intense pain and numbness.

"Yeah..." Seán agreed, deciding not to voice his thoughts aloud.

The baby kicked again.

"Have you... no, I forgot I'd already asked you," Seán cut himself off with a sigh.

Dark's eyes twinkled in the darkness. "Asked me what...?"

"If you had a name picked out yet,"

Dark closed his eyes in thought, and Seán was worried he'd fallen asleep again until he felt the familiar squeeze on his arm, demanding his attention once more

"Of course, I'd... I'd have to take it up with Anti... but I'd like... Desiree... after my mother..."

Seán smiled warmly. "That's a nice name, I like it,"

Dark smiled too, but it quickly fell from his face as he went a little slack. Seán tapped him softly a few times, nudging him awake again.

"I'm sorry..." Dark whispered when he came to. "I just feel... exhausted..."

"No shit," Seán agreed. "Just... I'll go tell the others, and we'll see if we can get you-"

Dark shook his head. "No, I... I just want to sleep,"

Seán sighed reluctantly. "Dark, come on... you know I can't let you do that,"

"I promise you, I'll be fine," Dark spoke, trying to sit up just a little further. "I won't... I won't even lie down..."

"No," Seán said with the air of finality. "No, the others want to see you, Dark, they want to know you're okay,"

Dark closed his eyes again. "Can't they... can't they just come up... up here?"

"No," Seán repeated. "The doctor said we need to get you up and out of bed before you sink into a depression,"

Dark rolled his eyes. "Seán... can't you tell? I'm already... already depressed..."

Seán swallowed once more, thinking about the revelations of Dark's self-made wounds that the doctor had presented. It wasn't anything recent, otherwise Seán would have noticed- but considering he had a bullet wound from apparent decades ago showing up on his body, the slits could have come from anywhere.

"That's no excuse," Seán huffed. "Come on, I'll drag you if I have to,"

Dark reluctantly let Seán pull the blanket away from him, fidgeting softly with the edge of the once oversized shirt that now hugged his curves. He let Seán wrap his arms around his body and pull, feeling more than a little dizzy, but coming to acknowledge something that felt unusual- horrifyingly so.

"Seán...?" Dark whispered as he sat by the bed's edge. "I can't... I can't feel my leg..."

Seán bit his lip. "I... I don't know what to say, Dark, you had a stroke... The doctor said you might get temporary paralysis,"

Dark shuddered. "I don't... I don't like this..."

"Me neither," Sean agreed, offering Dark a hand. "We got you a wheelchair, it's over here..."

As he walked, he felt a little nauseous, but he swallowed it down forcefully. He couldn't be sick now- not while Dark needed him. Luckily, the feeling seemed to fade away as easily as it had come on, and he was feeling better by the time he wheeled the chair over to Dark.

"Come on, do you want to take a blanket?" Seán asked as he picked up the heavy man, setting him down gently in the wheelchair.

Dark shook his head. "No, it's... much too warm. Let's... let's get this over with,"

**~Void~**

"What happened?" Dr. Iplier asked, concerned when Henrik returned from possessing Jack within moments. The egos had all settled into Anti's house (he'd been forced to add a few extra rooms, but the ones who absolutely detested his presence stayed next door anyway), and Henrik had decided that Dark should know about Wilford's hasty exit. The doctor looked paler than usual as he faced the group of concerned egos that had gathered around, alarmed at why he could possibly be back so soon.

"Dark ist very unwell," Henrik uttered, looking down. "Er ist... He must use a vheelchair, und he looks much,  _much_  rounder,"

"A  _wheelchair_?!" Anti blanched, holding himself tightly around the middle. "What?!"

"I can only assume that his weakness has continued to grow worse," Dr. Iplier frowned, deep in thought. "That must be why... but how large was his abdomen, Henrik?"

"He looked to be almost full term," Henrik answered disbelievingly, and the other doctor's eyes widened.

"What?!"

"You mean..." Anti swallowed. "You mean he looked like he was close to g-giving birth?"

"Ja, but it vas dark in ze room, und es ist impossible to tell vithout an ultrasound," Henrik explained. "Zere is always room for error, but... It concerned me all ze same. I knew zat ze baby vas growing faster zhan usual, but... zis is certainly excessive,"

Dr. Iplier placed a hand on his lover's shoulder, paling a little as he shook his head. "No wonder he's in a wheelchair, his body probably hadn't accommodated to the rapidly growing fetus- Hen, what if he's broken his spine?"

"WHAT?!"

Both doctor turned to see a very frightened, guilty and helpless looking Anti, his heart racing and his neck bleeding out, dripping onto his tiled kitchen floor.

"Anti, please, you must remain calm," Henrik advised, but Anti was livid.

"N-no, I can't- I can't deal with all of this, Schneep, I hate sitting here and being unable to talk to him, and I hate..."

He trailed off, his features scrunched up in some kind of pain. 

Henrik frowned. He met his fiance's eyes and they seemed to come to a silent agreement. Anti wasn't alright, and the last thing they needed was the only other person in this Void who could protect them to run off in tears.

"Anti, vould you like to talk to me? ... Privately?"

Anti nodded bitterly, and Henrik waved his farewell to the rest of the egos as he let Anti lead him into a secluded, office-like area.

One the door was closed, Anti seemed to break. He sat down before he could faint with anxiety, letting out tears mixed with sobs and pleas to help.

Henrik walked over, concerned, drawing up a chair of his own. "Anti, vhat's-?"

"I ch-cheated on him," Anti hiccuped abruptly, still holding his head in his hands.

Henrik was rather taken aback by this. He was certain he'd misheard Anti- surely, the glitch wouldn't do such a thing. He was infatuated with Dark, and he had been for as long as Henrik had known him, possibly even longer. Why, then, would he cheat on Dark? And what did Anti mean by that- was it something so simple as spending time with another ego, or had he really gone the whole nine yards with someone?

For the first time in his entire career, Henrik was at a loss for words.

"I... vhat?" Henrik decided to ask again, certain that he couldn't be right.

Anti shuddered. "I cheated, Schneep- I f-fucking, slept with JJ, a-and now Dark's going t-through hell and I'm h-here fucking around w-with someone else, and I-"

"Mein Gott, Anti, calm yourself," Henrik urged, head spinning with the revelation that his thoughts had been correct. "I am sure you are overreacting-"

"I'm not overreacting!" Anti all but shouted. "I'm horrible, that's w-what I am..."

Henrik placed his hand on Anti's shoulder, desperately trying to determine the best approach. Anti had slept with JJ, apparently-  _JJ_ , of all people. If he didn't trust the glitch with all his heart, he wouldn't know what to believe. But Anti wouldn't lie about something like this, especially if he thought he was at fault for it, and Henrik made a mental note to discuss the topic again with the mute himself.

"Anti..." Henrik breathed. "I... I don't know vhat to say. Vhy did you do it?"

"I d-don't know," Anti sniffed. "I j-just... I was walking, and th-then I bumped into h-him, and the next thing I knew we w-were making out, I just..."

Henrik frowned. "Vas zis yesterday, vhen you left ze room in tears?"

Anti nodded through the unwitting cries coming from his slightly open mouth. "Y-yeah, I just felt... I felt so l-lonely..."

Henrik sighed, kneading his forehead with his thumbs. "Zhen zat's vhy, Anti. You felt lonely, because Dark left you here alone, and you vere confused and hurt. You probably didn't know vhat you were getting yourself into- ach, und I bet JJ vasn't at his best either... have you spoken about it since? Do you know vhy he vanted it?"

Anti shook his head no, biting his lip so hard it was beginning to bleed. "N-no, we... we were talking earlier, but then t-the manor collapsed... he said... he said he didn't regret it, b-but... but I do regret it.  _All_ of it, I... I hate that I even l-let it happen..."

Henrik tsked, his annoyance growing. He didn't want to tell Anti that it was fine, because it wasn't. Dark probably wouldn't be too happy if he found out that Anti had slept with another ego in his absence, but then, Henrik supposed Dark had surprised him before with how lenient he could be. Still, this wasn't a case of misbehaviour- this was Dark's lover, his reason for being- surely the demon would be upset.

But then, Henrik also wanted to console his brother, and comfort him. He was an expert on mental health, after all, and knew that sometimes people made poor choices to heal the wrongs others did to them. Really, with the way Dark and Anti's relationship had been strained as of late, and with the idea planted in Anti's head that Dark had slept with another man... he supposed it was only natural for Anti to seek the love and comfort he craved from somebody else.

That somebody else just so happened to be JJ, however unlikely the pair had seemed originally. Henrik supposed they did seem closer than usual earlier when the manor had collapsed, but he'd been too worried about how the others were faring to really notice just how close...

What was Jameson playing at? Wasn't this the man that had hated Wilford's infidelity?

Henrik felt it all click into place. The manor crumbling, Wilford's disappearance, it was all lining up.

Wilford must have found out.

"I... I appreciate you telling me zis, but... I don't have any answers for you," Henrik swallowed. "I am sorry, mein Bruder. I feel zat zis is a matter you must discuss vith Jameson... und... und Dark, vhen you finally see him again."

Anti sniffed again, looking up with teary eyes. "I j-just... I'm so s-scared of what he'll say..."

Henrik brought Anti in for a hug, patting the ego's back softly. "Zere zere, I am sure he vill not be mean about it. I am sure he vill understand-"

"N-no, that's the problem," Anti shuddered. "I know he'll f-forgive me, but... I don't f-feel like I d-deserve it... I could have... I could've said no, b-but I didn't, and-"

"Und neither did JJ," Henrik pointed out. "Do not forget zat he is as much at fault as you are concerning zis. Vould you like me to fetch him so zat ve can talk about it here, or are you comfortable speaking vith him on your own?"

Anti paled considerably. "I d-don't... I don't w-want to talk with him alone, I... I'm scared I'll do s-something I'll regret..."

Henrik didn't know what exactly Anti meant by that- if he was concerned that he'd cheat again, or if he was worried he'd hurt JJ in some way, but it was clear that the glitch didn't particularly want to be left alone with the other ego either way. Henrik nodded grimly, standing from his seat.

"I vill get him now," Henrik stated. "Remember, Anti, you are going through a lot of emotional blocks und feelings right now. Whether or not you vant to believe it, you are not in your right mind, und I have reason to suspect zat he is not either. Please, don't hurt yourself vhile I am gone- I only vant to help you,"

As Schneep left the room, Anti found himself sobbing uncontrollably into his fists. Why was Schneep forgiving him like this? Sure, Anti knew it wasn't the doctor's place to abscond his sins, but he had to have been angry about it, he  _had_  to be. Anti hadn't just lashed out and hurt someone with a knife this time- this burden ran so much deeper than its physical implications. Anti had cheated- he'd  _knowingly_  cheated, whether he was hurting or not. He needed to be punished... put back in line, and he knew Dark wouldn't do it.

He knew that Dark would just forgive him and try to move on, and Anti didn't want that. He wanted to be sorry for what he did. He wanted to be so scared of doing anything like that again that every time he thought about it he'd shiver on impulse.

He couldn't help it. He  _needed_  to hurt.

He summoned a blade and began to count the strokes, wanting to end on nothing short of infinity. Dark was out there, hurting, while Anti sat here defiling the promise that their relationship had formed.

One swipe, then another. Blood began to pool on the ground.

_You deserve every bit of this and more._

_It's the least you can do to match Dark's agony._

_You're we͘ąk._

_Pathetic._

_Self-absorbed._

_He doesn't l͏o͘͠v҉̨͡e͟͡ ͏y͝ǫ̸u̕͏._

_Keep lying to yourself._

_You know it's ţr̸ue͢._

_Go on, Anti. Fight it._

_Fight us._

_We're not going a͡n̸y̕҉w͡h̵ȩ͡͠r̶e̡̡._


	14. Chapter 13

**~Void~**

"Bim?"

Bim opened his eyes to see King standing over him, nudging him awake. After the fairly short walk to Anti's house, Bim had dozed off on one of the glitch's uncomfortable lounges, wondering if the damn ego had a really high pain tolerance- but he'd been too tired to really think about it, and he'd fallen asleep within moments.

But here his friend was, shaking his shoulder as if he'd slept through the night. Really, it had only been a few moments. Bim rolled his eyes. If they hadn't stayed up last night playing cards with Marvin and Yan, he might not have been so sleep deprived in the first place, but King had a certain affinity for poker, apparently.

"I'm up, Squirrels, I'm up..."

"Good," King replied, grinning as he watched the show host struggle to get up. "Septiplier's here asking for us,"

"Septi-? Oh, right. Forgot he moved in with the other fusion," Bim sighed aloud. He let his fingers curl reflexively around King's as he yawned, not even realising that Wilford was gone, and they didn't technically need to keep up the charade anymore. The movement was just instinct at this point- an instinct that Bim wasn't quite sure how to end.

King didn't comment on it as he helped Bim stand, brushing down his robe and taking the ego's hand yet again as they stood. "They're not  _technically_  moved in together yet, you know?"

Bim scoffed, rolling his eyes yet again. "Septiplier's been sending him 'fuck me' eyes for weeks, King, it's going to be permanent."

King chuckled. "Well, I'm just happy he's found someone to love. Now come on, they've got tea ready for us,"

Bim raised an eyebrow. "Tea?"

King shrugged, his robe creasing on his shoulders. "I mean, I took it literally. Halter is British, after all- you drink tea?"

"No, only coffee," Bim sighed. "I wonder if Septiplier likes tea,"

King snorted. "Not likely- He's part Jack, remember?"

Bim smiled in agreement, though his lips quickly turned in a frown as he looked himself over.

"Do I look stupid?"

King shook his head, something like a smirk lighting up his features. "Not any more stupid than usual- hey, it's just Septiplier, who are you trying to impress? Trying to ditch me, huh?"

King elbowed Bim playfully, but Bim was struck with a nerve-wracking feeling brewing within his gut. Who  _was_  he trying to impress?

Bim could feel his cheeks redden. "I just don't like looking stupid, alright?"

King tsked disbelievingly, and Bim worried he'd been a little too defensive. "Whatever you say, Peanut,"

"I  _told_  you not to call me-"

"The Host asks Trimmer to keep it down, as he cares deeply that Robbie's slumber is not disturbed," Host interrupted, mouth twisted into a frown as he seemed to stare right through Bim's soul. The show host shuddered.

"Don't worry about him, Bim," King urged, leading Bim by the hand to Anti's front door. As they passed one of the locked doors, they Bim could hear the sound of static, but he didn't linger very long on the thought of what was happening, too focused on the feeling of his hand in King's.

It had only now struck him that there was no need to keep doing this- Wilford was gone, and he'd almost taken the other egos with him- and surely nobody would notice or care that Bim and King had 'broken up'. He should really remind King of this, he thought to himself, but the right words never came to him. Truthfully, the hand holding felt rather nice, but Bim would never admit that aloud.

He kept quiet. If King had a problem, they'd stop. But until then, what was the harm in enjoying the company?

"It's convenient that they live next door, huh?" King asked, and Bim felt a tightness in his chest as he fumbled out a reply, berating himself mentally for losing his focus like that. It was just such the little differences in their relationship that Bim didn't know if he should embrace or question. But he pushed his thoughts aside. There was a time and place for everything, and this was not the place. Whether it was the time, however, was certainly up for debate.

"Well, I guess if I had no friends I'd probably build my house next to the first person I met, too," Bim shrugged.

King slapped him playfully on the arm. "You have friends, though- you have me!"

Bim couldn't help the smile that worked its way onto his face. No matter what, even through the drama that was Wilford, even through the strange, affectionate touches they were sharing as of late, Bim was King's friend. That was something that would never go away, for better or for worse.

Septiplier was there, waiting for them- a fusion that had once towered over everything he passed, now dwarfed by an even larger four-armed man that stood beside him. Bim hadn't ever had time to get acquainted with Halter, having only seen the fusion briefly in recuperation at the manor. And even then, he'd been so absorbed with his internal crisis of being Wilford's on and off partner that he'd barely even noticed when Chase and Bing became a couple.

Until he'd walked into the kitchen and found them making out against the counter, that is. Bim would always remember nearly falling over himself in surprise, whether he liked it or not. And right now, it was a strong  _not_.

He smiled in greeting, parting his fingers from King's to shake hands with the fusion he knew and loved, Septiplier, who looked absolutely ecstatic to see them. Bim didn't think he'd ever seen the fusion so happy before- and he was sure it had everything to do with this new company. The other fusion smiled at Septiplier's happiness, and offered King a handshake as well.

"Welcome to my place," Halter greeted, opening the nine-foot-tall door wide and allowing the egos to pass through. Bim had never felt so short- and that was saying something.

Everything here- from the television, to the table and chairs, to the house plants dotted around- it all seemed just that tad bit too large. Like a jumbo drink from a fast food restaurant- it just seemed so oversized, and so unnecessary.

Though considering the height of the fusions who lived here, Bim supposed it was quite necessary indeed.

"I love your house," King gushed, dragging Bim by the hand to examine the terrariums laid on the table.

Halter chuckled. "Thanks, Squirrels. Septiplier's told me all about your indoor garden, I bet it's really pretty in there,"

King beamed. "Yeah, it's pretty nice, and it's so open as well. That's where all my squirrel friends live- I've got..."

Bim watched King's face scrunch up in concentration, fighting down the thought that the image was frankly adorable. Was he a narcissist? Is that what was going on here?

Though Bim didn't think he looked twice as good as King did, the fact that he was attracted to literal copies of himself was saying something to him, right? First Wilford, then King... but- no! Bim refused to admit that he had feelings for Squirrels, he... he didn't. Right? He was only projecting his own insecurities in a way that made him feel better about his image... right?

"Forty-eight!" King said suddenly, and Bim couldn't help but wince at the harsh sound. One thing he'd never been able to understand was how loud his brothers could get- he was rather quiet in comparison, he found. He really needed a microphone to get his point across.

"Oh, sorry honey," King simpered, and Bim was torn between flushing and making a face of disgust. Honey was possibly even worse than Peanut, but he wasn't going to tell King that. The ego was already having too much fun giving him nut-related nicknames, and Bim decided it would be better not to reply at all. He didn't trust himself to speak his thoughts aloud, knowing he'd come off as either too eager or too nonchalant.

Halter's eyes widened. "Forty-eight? How on Earth do you keep track of those things?"

King shrugged. "They're like my children- oh, or should I say,  _our_  children,"

Bim gritted his teeth. Yeah, he liked the affection and the attention, and it had taken him long enough to admit that to himself, but this over-the-top flirty stuff had to go. Bim couldn't stand being red-faced all the time. He squeezed King's hand in warning, but he couldn't help but feel like the nut-loving ego took it another way.

Septiplier snorted, looking at the two egos before him as Bim tried to hide his blush. "When did you two get so loved up, huh?"

"We've been dating for over a month now," King smiled, pulling his reluctant friend in for a hug. "He's still a little shy,"

"No, I'm-" Bim started, but gave up halfway through his sentence. King would shoot him down anyway. He supposed he'd just have to live with whatever King was spinning about them, and try to remember it in case they needed to get their facts straight.

_Straight. Heh. That's ironic._

"See?" King grinned, ruffling Bim's hair playfully. "What a cutie. Anyway, come on and sit down, Bim,"

King patted the bar-stool-height chair, and Bim shot him a halfhearted glare as he sat, their hands still entwined under the table. They didn't need to be doing this right now.

 _But it feels nice_.

Just a little while longer, Bim decided. He wanted to see how far this could go before one of them had to back out. He knew that sooner or later, some way or another, it would grow to be too much. But until then, he could enjoy this while it lasted.

The comforting embraces. The hand holding. Regular friends didn't do things like this, but regular friends didn't fake-date either.

He coughed, breaking himself out of his thoughts yet again. He just needed to relax into this, he figured. Being so tense and aware of what was going wrong all the time was really not helping him keep up the facade.

So he slumped a little in his chair, already feeling much better.

"So, Septiplier, what've you been up to?"

As the fusion rambled on about his time spent with Halter, Bim felt a reassuring hand on his thigh. King was looking at him... proudly? He didn't think too much of it, but he was thankful for the touch nonetheless. Even if it was borderline too close for comfort.

 _I can do this_ , he thought.  _Piece of cake_.

Piece of leftover fruitcake, more like it. He didn't know when King would call it quits, or when it would become too real for both of them to bear- and it was going to be hard to focus on maintaining this false relationship around the others, but he was committed to it now whether he liked it or not.

And this, Bim felt he liked just a little too much.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Blank was getting tired of summoning stones to kick. It was the only thing he could think of to pass the time, but he'd tried several other things in the past- of course, he hadn't given up immediately. He'd tried singing (he felt like a toad having an orgasm), art (his paintings only looked like blue splotches of regret), and sport (he could do a mean backflip, but with nobody here to appreciate it, it got quite lonely). It just seemed like he didn't have any talent at all. It shouldn't have been that much of a surprise, really- even with King, he'd spent his days teaching their pets how to flip and roll over, but he didn't know if he could see a squirrel again without bursting into tears. He thought about summoning a dog, or even a lizard, but decided against it.

King's pets were just so full of life and colour, like he was. Blank's would only be sad, cold and blue.

He kicked another stone. At this rate, he could build himself a wall from the piles of rubble that were scattered around him. But why would he build a wall, when he already had walls within his heart?

The image of Xyler's concerned face came to mind, and Blank kicked the next stone as far as he could, blinking back the tears. He refused. He absolutely refused to let this happen. He just... he just needed to isolate himself even further. He needed to take a walk.

As he rose, he heard a distinctly feminine voice call him from behind.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Blank Gameplays,"

Blank felt himself groan aloud, though a part of him still winced in fear. Really? Surely she had other things to be doing- surely he hadn't wandered too far yet again, into the territory of foreign egos and demons, away from Dark's looming, protective presence. He didn't think he'd walked that far...

"What do you want, Peevils?" He grimaced, fighting back a stutter. He wasn't afraid of death anymore, after all. At least he now knew what kind of monster was hiding behind that sweet smile and those warm yellow eyes.

The ego walked slowly into his field of view, her hair a shocking pink instead of her previous blonde. She wore a different outfit to the last time Blank had seen her- this time, she was wearing a black spotted dress that fell just below the knee. It was a damn sight better than that leather jacket had been, anyway, in the brief moments Blank had seen it before he met his untimely end.

"New look?" Blank asked, not wanting to get on her bad side so soon this time. Peevils smirked in response, her arms folded gently across her middle. She didn't seem very aggressive, but Blank could never be too sure with her.

"Oh, you noticed? I'm so  _glad_. What brings you to this neck of the woods again, hm?"

Blank shrugged nonchalantly, not really wanting to explain, and knowing that deep down, Peevils really just didn't care. She was probably trying to incite a reaction from him, he figured. After all, demons and malicious egos didn't care why you were in their territory- they just wanted you out of it.

"Not talking, huh?"

Blank started at the new voice, whirling around to see another, unfamiliar woman emerging from the darkness. She held a blade similar to the one belonging to the ego Blank had encountered earlier, Anti, though instead of blood it was stained with a dark ooze. Her wavy brown hair was tied neatly in a bun, and her eyes were silver with a black sclera.

If Peevils didn't make you run for the hills, this new girl would certainly take over the task. Blank inched slowly away, remembering all too well his last encounter here and not wanting history to repeat itself just yet.

"Relax, Blanket," the woman cooed jeeringly. "It's only  _me_ ,"

Peevils sighed heavily. "Wiish, he doesn't  _know_ you,"

The woman, Wiish, clutched her heart sarcastically. "Oh, well isn't that awful? You're right, I guess I haven't made a good first  _impression_ yet,"

Wiish hissed, showing a silvery forked tongue, and Blank gulped audibly. This was bad. He may not have had a will to live, but he certainly didn't have a will to die. Especially not at Peevils and her freaky friend's hands. He slipped as he fell backwards on one of his many stones, cursing his own stupidity as he scrambled to escape the approaching egos. Was this how he died? Well, again?

Then, they stopped, breaking out into giggles just a few feet from the quivering ego. Blank didn't trust the distance, still maintaining his guard as he watched the two women laugh as if they were just normal girls at the mall. As if they hadn't just been within moments of destroying Blank. The charade almost seemed convincing.

"Okay, for real, why are you in our territory?" Peevils asked through her laughter.

"You're not taking this seriously enough, Peevs," Wiish said, rolling her eyes. "Besides, why do you always have to butt in like that?"

Blank didn't know what to say. "W-wait, you're not gonna beat me up?"

Peevs snorted. "That was, like, an entire year ago, Binkie-Boo. Times have changed,"

"Oh, I  _sincerely_  doubt-" Blank started, but cut himself off with a cough upon seeing Wiish's defensive glare.

"Look, pipsqueak, I don't care who you are, but if I find you here again, you know what's coming for you,"

She dragged the blunt edge of her blade across her neck, her dark eyes flashing dangerously.

Peevils rolled her eyes, apparently undisturbed by her friend's threat. "Don't worry, Blank, she's all talk and no action."

"How did I even end up here again?" Blank huffed, folding his arms now that he knew he wasn't in any immediate danger. "I didn't think I walked  _that_  far..."

Peevils sighed nonchalantly. "Oh, I dunno, but at least you don't look like chicken scratch this time."

Blank reddened, remembering the circumstances he'd met this fierce ego in before. He'd just left King, running away because his allergies were so persistent, and he'd barely been able to see through the pain. He'd stumbled far and wide, until he'd come across a nice-enough looking girl- but she wasn't so nice up close. After a few nasty words, she'd crushed his skull underfoot, and Blank had faded away.

He supposed he should have been thankful for the mercy-killing, but it had hurt so much that Blank didn't even want to remember it. Unfortunately, he was here now, with not one- but two dangerous-looking women who could whip him into a pulp if they really wanted to. Sometimes, his head still ached inexplicably, and Blank had a feeling he could figure out why.

"I'd suggest you run back home, Blanket," Wiish hissed at him. "This is girl world,"

"Don't misgender him, Wiish," Peevils smirked. "He can be a girl if he wants,"

Blank groaned aloud. "Fuck  _off_ , I'm going now, alright?"

He willed his stones to disappear and he turned on his heel, walking back the way he'd come. He really couldn't get out of that situation quick enough in his opinion. Territories were strange in the Void- there was no telling where they started, or where they ended. An ego or demon could turn up and murder you on the spot, claiming you were in their territory, and you'd never really know if it was true or not.

But all the same, the air seemed a little colder in Peevils' neck of the woods than it did back home.

_Home?_

Well, Blank supposed there was nothing else to call it. Dark's territory extended way further than the manor, and he must have gone quite the distance to have passed through another's. Whether it truly belonged to Peevils, he didn't know.

And he didn't know when Peevils had gotten friendly with that Wiish woman. Though he hadn't seen the ego in a year, word was spreading like wildfire since her appearance in 2015, and he'd managed to catch most of it. Though from what he'd heard, Peevils always worked alone.

He just didn't see her letting someone else share her territory like that. She was possessive, at least according to Dark.

Blank shook his head. What was he thinking?! He didn't give a damn about that woman, or who she associated with. He supposed it had served as a nice distraction from the inner torment of his mind, but he was frankly over the speculation. Names had power around here, and though he had yet to speak their names aloud, he was paranoid that they'd find him and kill him if he thought about them too much anyway.

He sat himself down again once he was sure he was in Dark's territory again- though it had lost the warmth, he could see two houses that fell inside the perimeter just up ahead, and he knew he must be safe now.

He shivered. It seemed that no matter where he went, he always found a way to make the situation turn sour.

He summoned another stone. It was going to be a long existence.

**~Groundlands~**

Wilford Warfstache stood on the edge of a dingy street in Los Angeles- one he'd used to know quite well. Back in the sixties... or was it the seventies? Wilford just wasn't sure of when, but he knew that this street had once been home to him.

He had, of course, lived in the apartments here before they were renovated and turned into separate flats, and he couldn't very well come back here- the home he'd once known had been demolished, his belongings scattered, a smiling couple now making the bed in a place Wilford had once laid with Dark.

Dark... oh, how Wilford hoped he was doing alright. Despite leaving the Void, Wilford hadn't forsaken anyone there, least of all his previous lover and dearest friend. Though they'd ended their shenanigans only a short while into their life together, they still remained closer than Wilford had even allowed Jameson to get to him.

Closer, than even Celine...

He shook himself out of it. He could see it now- Celine, with her dark hair, holding him close to her and whispering about how proud she was of him. He didn't know when he'd gotten this memory, but it was all he could think about now as he stood lazily on the street corner. He wanted to find her again- if only to settle the aching of his heart. Even if she didn't want him- though it would sting, to be sure- Wilford needed that closure. She'd left without a trace and he'd tracked her for years before Dark had come along to sweep him off his feet.

He almost regretted running away to live in the Void with Dark- he'd never succeeded in finding his lost friends. Celine, of course, but also  _Damien_. But that was going to come to a close now. He was tired of fooling around with Dark and the other Ipliers- tired of lending his heart to others.

Or maybe he was just tired of the pain.

It didn't matter now. When he found Celine, surely she'd come back to him. She wouldn't go with Mark, anyway- he knew for certain that she despised him, so at least that was in his favour. But he hadn't a clue where she could be- he'd searched every country, every continent looking for her before. He'd wandered alleys, boarded flights, trudged through muddy swamps and stayed in every hotel he passed, but she still remained out of his reach.

This time, Wilford knew it would be different. He needed to find her- it wasn't just a meaningless, nagging desire anymore. It was vital. Without her, Wilford didn't know how he could live on.

Everything he'd done since he'd returned from the war had been for Celine. She was his purpose, his entire reason for being... if she didn't want him either, he'd crumble. Even just thinking about the possible rejection, he found his knees shaking in fear.

He couldn't let that happen. He needed to find her, before she fell for another man.

He adjusted his suspenders, looking out to gauge the traffic before crossing the street.

Deep down, he knew that this was all a big distraction from what had happened earlier. Deep in his heart, he knew that finding Celine wouldn't make him feel any less guilty. But it would be fast-paced, and sensual, and everything it had been during those long, long nights after the war.

He took a deep breath. Perhaps his old friend, Abe, could give him a lead. The man used to live around this neighbourhood, right?


	15. Chapter 14

**~Void~**

Henrik sighed to himself, hardly trusting Anti not to hurt himself as he left the room, closing the door behind him. He shouldn't be leaving the ego unattended like this, he knew- but he wouldn't have left him behind if he was certain that the glitch wouldn't lash out at the others in his destructive emotional state. He just needed to move quickly, to find JJ and bring him back before it got too serious. Even if death didn't mean the same thing here, it was no joking matter.

Even now, his heart sank, knowing that there was nothing he could do to help Anti through this but bring him more pain. Seeing JJ again... especially after so much regret, was surely going to make Anti quite upset. And Henrik himself had his bones to pick with the mute.

Sure, Anti shouldn't have cheated, but regardless of how Jameson's life was panning out, he shouldn't have come onto a taken man. Was it some kind of payback for Wilford's countless sexual endeavors? Was it because he needed a rebound, and Anti was the easiest target? He'd need to talk to Jameson as well, but sorting Anti out was one of his top priorities. After all, Jameson was hardly likely to hurt himself or others if his apparent issues weren't resolved.

But then, Henrik hadn't thought Jameson was capable of just  _using_  someone like that, either.

He grimaced, tapping the blue-vested man on the shoulder, having found him in a secluded corner of the house.

Jameson had been standing alone in a corner of Anti's place, trying to get away from all the noise. Some of the egos had gone next door to visit the fusions, and others were playing card games in the small lounge. Some had even gone to the newly created rooms above the main floor to settle in, knowing that Dark wouldn't be back for a decent while.

Jameson had felt... lost. Confused. Hurt, but he couldn't determine why.

Well, of course, he'd been hurt by Wilford. It was something his brothers had been warning him about almost every day since he'd started dating the man, but Jameson hadn't listened. They just didn't understand, these newer generation egos. It was common, almost expected of men to have affairs with others during Jameson's time.

He'd just never have thought he'd be this pained by it. He'd scolded himself for his weakness, persisting despite his heart telling him no, drawing the line at inclusion. It was bad enough for Jameson knowing that Wilford slept around, let alone being part of it. But now, after everything that had happened... they'd used to be so close. Maybe he should have said yes. He was sharing the man anyway, but... maybe things would have panned out differently if he'd let Wilford coerce him into threeways.

 _What am I thinking?_  Jameson thought bitterly.  _The problem wasn't me, it was him. I see that now... but why do I still want him back, after everything?_

Jameson didn't know. He didn't know why he'd lashed out, he didn't know why he'd pressured Anti into this strange relationship, and he didn't know why he didn't even feel an ounce of regret after it.

When his older brother, Schneep, tapped his shoulder, Jameson felt a pool of guilt sinking into his gut. The way the doctor's eyebrows furrowed, the faint smears of blood on his coat... he'd been with Anti. He knew. He knew about  _everything_.

Jameson had the decency to hang his head in shame when he turned around, staring solemnly at his feet. It must have been bad if even Schneep was upset over it.

He'd never meant to hurt Anti. But if he had, he'd do anything he could to fix the mess he'd created.

 _'Yes?'_  he signed, though he knew exactly what the doctor had called him for.

"Komm, JJ, ve have much to discuss," Schneep sighed, leading him through the house in the direction of the front door.

Jameson folded his arms around his middle as he tried to ignore the stares he was getting from the other egos. Most of them must have put together that Wilford had left because of him- at least, Google definitely had it figured out, and he could feel the android's glare on his back as Schneep opened a door, letting out a concerned, upset sigh.

"Anti, stop. Es ist doing you no good,"

Jameson followed the doctor into the room, eyes widening at the scene before him. Anti's left arm was marred with blood, a few dark slits visible beneath the crimson wash, though Jameson could tell there were far more strokes than the ones he could see. Immediately, not even thinking, he rushed to Anti's side, giving him the already tear-stained handkerchief he'd collected just before the manor had crumbled.

Anti flinched at his touch, and Jameson felt his heart sink. Oh...

He reluctantly distanced himself, summoning another chair and giving Anti the small square of fabric. At least without Jameson distracting him, Anti could wipe away the blood and tears.

Had they been his fault? Jameson dearly hoped not.

Schneep looked between the both of them with an accusatory glare. "Right. Now zat I have both of you here, vould vun of you please explain vhy zis affair happened in ze first place?"

Though the question was technically directed at both of them, Jameson felt like Schneep was making this personal. He already knew about the affair, it seemed- that meant he'd been speaking with Anti. Just what had the other ego said to make the doctor so upset?

The glitch himself was currently inconsolable, choking back his tears as he wiped his arms with the already ruined handkerchief. The guilt grew even harder to handle as Jameson squirmed within his seat, frantically signing an explanation of his side of the story to Schneep, who grimaced in return.

"JJ, I thought you vere better zhan zat," Schneep frowned. "Especially considering zat you have suffered having a cheating partner long enough. How do you think, regardless of Anti's emotional state, zat Dark vould feel knowing about zis?"

Jameson looked at his feet once more. At the time, he hadn't been thinking clearly- he hadn't recognised that Anti was happily taken. He'd just been upset, and lonely, and looking for someone to love. He'd thought he'd found that in Wilford, but he was clearly wrong, and all of that pent up desire, affection and loathing had to be directed somewhere.

He didn't mean to drag Anti into all of this- he wouldn't have even thought of trying to drag one of his brothers into this, but he supposed that some part of him didn't think of Anti as a brother quite yet. Their relationship was still new and tender, and now Jameson was afraid it would be impossible to recover what they'd once had.

If the flinching was anything to go by, Jameson was nervous that Anti wouldn't ever forgive him enough to let him near again.

But then, Jameson felt he couldn't blame him. While he shouldn't have let himself lose control like that, it was clear that Anti had needed what they'd done just as much as Jameson had. Otherwise, he'd have pulled away, and they could have walked away on a simple misunderstanding instead of taking it way too far.

Jameson supposed he deserved every part of this lecture. After all, Anti would hardly have sought him out if he hadn't instigated the touches.

 _'I am sorry,'_  Jameson signed to Anti, though he knew it was hardly going to make a dent in the hurt that he'd caused.

"He says he is sorry," Schneep translated, realising at Anti's lost expression that the glitch didn't understand.

Anti sniffed. "I-I'm sorry t-too... I couldn't b-be the one you needed, JJ, I... I've got my own problems to deal with. I've got Dark, a-and his baby, and... and I can't be with you,"

Jameson held up his hand, signing his response while trying to convey his point through his eyes to help the message get across.

"He says that he shouldn't have brought you into this, and that he wishes you the best of luck with your child," Schneep said, his words growing a little softer when he realised that JJ was really, genuinely sorry for what had happened.

He didn't expect Anti to sniffle in response.

Schneep sighed. "Anti, please... next time I talk to Dark, I vill ask him upfront about ze father of his child. If it really is Jack, zhen... zhen ve'll cross zat bridge vhen ve come to it."

"H-he's... he's not going to w-want me anymore," Anti shivered. "Not a-after this..."

Schneep shook his head. "Anti, please, listen to me. You do not know vhat Dark vas like vhen you vere gone for zose years. Er vas... distressed. Sad.  Lonely. Und very,  _very_  angry. But I think zat he vas angry at himself, Anti- not you. If he lost you again... Ach, I don't even vant to imagine it. You haven't seen how broken he vas,"

"B-broken?" Anti uttered, like he'd never thought Dark could feel pain. "B-because of me?"

Schneep sighed in frustration. " _Nein_ , Anti, nicht because of you. It vas because he'd been unable to help you vhile you vere still young und happy. It vas because he felt like it vas his fault zat you felt unloved und unwelcome,"

Anti sobbed again, covering his mouth with his trembling hand. "I-I... I don't... It w-wasn't him, though, it was m-me... all of it,"

Jameson hesitantly placed his hand on Anti's shoulder, relaxing a little when Anti didn't immediately shrug him away. He could do this. He could help this.

He could help Anti pick up the already broken pieces he'd stomped all over last night.

"I must return to ze Groundlands shortly in any case," Schneep began, standing from his seat. "As you know, Dark is not as vell as ve vould like to think. But if you vould like, I could... I could ask Jack to let you in. Just to see Dark. I'm sure he vould not mind,"

Anti shuddered, clenching his fists as he bit back more tears. "J-Jack? Of c-course he'd mind, Schneep, it's useless..."

Schneep gave the glitch a small, sad smile. "Vun day, you vill trust him. I am sure of it. I must go now, but I vill return momentarily. Please, consider it. I am sure he misses you as much, if not more than you miss him,"

Jameson watched as Schneep seemed to fade, but he knew that the doctor wasn't going anywhere permanently. The ghost of his figure was still present, after all- it was what happened to all of them when they possessed their original.

Jameson reached out again, patting Anti's arm reassuringly. Anti met his eyes, and though they were teary and green as ever, Jameson saw no hatred burning within them.

He leaned a little closer.

"JJ?" Anti whispered, as if he didn't trust himself to speak. "D-do you hate me?"

Jameson's gaze was pitiful. He shook his head, deciding that signing would be useless, and he gently clasped their fingers together.

Anti sniffed, giving the mute a little smile despite his clear emotional disrepair. "T-thank you... that makes one of us,"

**~Groundlands~**

Dark was hardly listening to the drone of the television that Seán had parked his wheelchair in front of, knowing that none of it was making sense to him anyway. The yellow people running around were making far too many cynical references to modern society that flew way over Dark's head. He was much more interested in the conversation unfolding between Mark, Amy and Seán on the sofa, where they thought he couldn't hear them.

They seemed to think that this cancer was terminal. Well, in any normal person, Dark supposed it would be- but he had healing magic running through his veins. He may have had a little slip, but he was fine now- albeit just a bit slower than usual. He couldn't hear thoughts, and he couldn't hear Damien or Celine, but the thing he was most saddened about was that he couldn't even hear his child.

He'd heard her before- on the plane, and while he was going to sleep the day he arrived in this house. She hadn't been able to formulate words quite yet, but it was more... emotions. Happiness. Fear. Exhilaration.

Dark placed his hand on his stomach once more, feeling her kicking happily again. He was ever grateful that she was happy, even if he was not. It meant that despite everyone insisting that his various illnesses couldn't be good for the baby, she wasn't being affected.

And that was the one thing putting a smile on Dark's face right now.

Even if he knew that his body would eventually recover, this sinking feeling of hopelessness was weighing in on him. The what if's and the why's were building up, and Dark was growing weary of shooting down his own insolence. He hadn't known just how double-minded he could be on his own until he'd lost contact with the other souls that maintained this form.

He could still hear them sometimes- just not always. They drifted in and out of his ears, away before he could determine what they were talking about. But he knew that as scatterbrained as he currently was, he wouldn't be able to retain the information for long anyway.

He craned his neck to see his grandson and the others, and Amy was the first to notice him looking, smiling in his direction.

"Hey, guess you're not much for The Simpsons, huh?"

Dark shook his head lowly. "It seems... not. But I don't... have an idea of... what I'd rather watch..."

Amy squeezed his hand reassuringly. "It'll be fine, Dark. Just... just keep holding on. You can go to sleep soon,"

Dark sighed softly. He wanted nothing more than to collapse and rest his eyes, but he knew that the others wouldn't let him get away with it for long. He was fine, really. He hadn't had a stroke- he'd just been exhausted. Surely it wasn't as bad as they were making it out to be...

Seán let out a surprised gasp, which had both Amy and Dark turning their heads to see just what was going on.

Mark looked concerned, grabbing his wrists and forcing them down, as if he'd been waiting for something like this to occur. Amy left Dark's side, helping Mark hold Seán down as if they were going to perform some kind of exorcism.

Seán groaned aloud, but... that voice...

"Ach! Unhand me, es ist Schneep- Ich bin ze good doktor,"

Amy let go, but Mark wasn't so convinced. Dark, meanwhile, was feebly moving his unresponsive hands to his wheels, trying to get closer. It was Henrik, back again to check up on him- but he supposed that the others wouldn't know that.

"Let him go," Dark commanded weakly, wheeling himself over and feeling his arms growing tired within moments. "He means no harm,"

Seán sat upright- but no, it wasn't Seán. At least, not now.

The doctor locked eyes with Dark, immediately getting a panicked expression.

"Mein Gott, Dark- vhat have you done to yourself?"

"He's gone and had a stroke," Mark huffed, finally letting go of Schneep's arms. "Hopefully he'll listen to you when you tell him how serious it is, because he's sure as shit not listening to us about it."

Schneep blanched. "You  _vhat_?! Dark, tell me es ist nicht true,"

Dark swallowed, his head beginning to pulsate due to the noise. "Apparently... it is... so. But I am fi... fine,"

Schneep looked at him doubtfully. "I do not believe zat for a second- vhy are you in zat locomotion device?"

Dark closed his eyes, but the doctor smacked him awake.

"Look alive, Dark!" Schneep hissed. "You know better zhan to doze off like zat- tell me vhy you are unable to valk,"

"His leg's paralysed," Amy supplied. "The doctor said it might be temporary, but it could even be permanent. It's because of the stroke,"

Schneep groaned. "Right, zat is just perfect. Is zere anything else I should know?"

Mark coughed. "He's... he's got breast cancer he hasn't told any of us about."

Schneep's eyes narrowed. "Zat... Zat I knew about. I located some cancer cells in his blood vhen I vas running a test a few years back, but... something tells me zat it is more serious zhan I feared,"

"Try stage four," Mark huffed. "Chronic. The doctor said he'll have three years max to live, but Dark doesn't want to listen to reason,"

Schneep looked absolutely murderous. "Dark! How long have you known about zis?!"

Dark winced at the noise, holding a hand weakly to his forehead. "S-since the 1970s... when I had it tested... it was only stage two, but... but I had it contained..."

"Vell, you clearly did a botched job containing it," Schneep deadpanned. "Dark... I do not know vhat to say. Is zere anything wrong vith ze baby?"

Dark sighed, holding his abdomen once more. "Not that... I know of... she seems happy..."

Schneep looked to the others, not trusting Dark's word. Reluctantly, they nodded.

"Apart from the fact the baby was conceived months before Dark was active, apparently," Amy admitted, looking rather confused. "Dark told us three months, but the doctor seemed convinced that he was six or seven months along,"

Schneep nodded. "Ja... It seems zat ze fetus is growing faster zhan even I had accounted for... zat is likely vhy you have taken so ill. Doc und I varned you, you know? Ve told you ze risks,"

Dark felt a tear fall from his eye, blinking it away before he lost too much of his dignity. "I know... the risks, Henrik. I... I would die for this child... And if it comes... to that... I will... in a h-heartbeat..."

"No," Schneep grimaced. "No, you vill not. How could you do zat to Anti? He loves you vith all his heart, Dark, und you know it,"

Dark blinked back a few more tears. "I know..." he started. "I know he does... but... he shouldn't. Besides... I won't die... I have survived... much less likely circumstances... than this one. I will... prevail..."

Schneep shook his head once more, not even able to find words to express his thoughts on the matter. Dark was being a stubborn fool- the fact that he was feeling weak at all was reason for concern, and now he had terminal cancer? And a stroke? It had only been three days...

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Anti vants... needs to see you right now. Er ist in... a bad state, to say ze least. He is inconsolable und I feel zat... zat you are ze only vun who can force him to see reason. Should I let him through?"

Dark swallowed. He wanted to see Anti- of course he wanted to see him, there hadn't been a spare moment that Dark hadn't filled with the need to see him again. But... he wasn't sure of what to say. He hadn't spoken to Anti since their fight, and for all he knew Anti still hadn't forgiven him for how he'd acted.

But he nodded anyway. Schneep looked satisfied as he melted away, the eyes that sprang open belonging to the original that had been taken over.

Seán looked at everyone wildly. "Okay, you believe me now?"

Mark shivered. "Yeah, but don't get too comfortable. Schneep said he was letting Anti through,"

Seán sighed. "I know, I could hear- wait, oh God..."

He stood and shivered a little, closing his eyes and letting his hands fly to his head as if there was something fighting him to get inside. Dark blinked a few times, hoping that Anti wasn't being too forceful with the man- he didn't think Anti had ever possessed his original without killing him first.

But it subsided. Seán's arms fell slack and his face turned peaceful, and his eyes opened- bright, glowing green.

Dark melted.

"Anti?" He breathed, hardly believing that his lover was right here with him after so long spent apart.

Anti's eyes snapped to him, taking in his appearance. Dark could see the open wound on his neck despite having not heard Seán cry out, but didn't have much time to comprehend anything else before he was engulfed in a warm, glitchy hug.

Anti couldn't help but sob into his shoulder, it seemed, and Dark held him as best as he could in return. It hadn't been very long at all, but to Dark it seemed an eternity since he'd felt Anti against his skin. He could feel the baby kicking happily again, apparently wanting to reach out for her other father. Anti broke apart from Dark with surprise, looking down as if he only just noticed the rather large bump. 

"W-wow..." Anti whispered, holding his hand close to Dark's abdomen. In the dim light of the room, the glowing aura that the child was producing was quite visible.

"You seem shocked," Dark noted. "Did... did Henrik not tell you we were expecting?"

Anti sniffed a little, wiping the tears from his eyes. "N-no, I knew, it's just... I didn't think... she's huge, Dark,"

Dark chuckled in response, bringing Anti closer and hugging him again. Mark and Amy were being remarkably silent during the exchange, and Dark hoped that this wasn't making them uncomfortable.

Anti pressed more firmly against Dark's skin, as if he was trying to communicate with the baby. Dark was rather intrigued to see if Anti also had an empathic connection to her- it would make sense, in a way.

Anti let a smile grace his features. He'd almost asked if the baby was his straight off the bat, but he'd been distracted by the green glow- the same one that followed him around, brightening up the Void. The baby couldn't have been anyone else's- and that made Anti squirm in half relief, half embarrassment. He'd actually considered that Dark had cheated on him. He'd actually thought that Dark would do such a thing.

He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, pushing his thoughts about the baby aside. Dark looked terrible- worse than Anti had ever seen him. Sure, Schneep had warned him about how serious Dark's condition was, but he hadn't expected...  _this_.

"Are y-you okay?" Anti asked, concerned.

Dark coughed a little as he smiled, seemingly unperturbed by his sudden fit. "Better than ever... Anti..."

Anti frowned. "Why is your voice so gravelly and slow, Dark? Don't... don't lie to me, please, you're not okay..."

Dark closed his eyes as he held Anti close to him. "No..." Dark agreed. "But I am not... terrible. In fact... you being here gives me... the will to go on. For you..."

Anti swallowed, as if he'd just remembered something he wouldn't like to admit. Usually, Dark would know already what was troubling the younger ego, but since his mind had become quiet, the suspense was paining him to bear.

"What is the matter, dear?" Dark asked softly.

Anti shuddered, leaving Dark's lap and scrambling to sit on the sofa. "I... I cheated on you,"

Amy let out a little gasp and Mark looked torn between anger and a snide remark. Thankfully, the both of them decided to remain separate from the conversation, as Dark looked into Anti's chilling green eyes, searching for an answer.

"Why?" Dark asked simply.

It may have been because he wasn't feeling well- perhaps he was especially emotionally detached today. He knew that the words had hurt him, deep down, but he also knew that he was better than that. He knew Anti well- perhaps even better than he knew himself. The man wouldn't cheat for nothing.

Though this was certainly something they needed to address, Dark didn't think it needed to ruin their relationship. The fact that Anti had gone to someone else for something Dark couldn't provide only proved that there was something between them- some rift that needed to be mended.

Dark didn't want to give up. Not when he could fix what he already had.

Anti shivered, scratching his arms instinctively, though Dark was too far from him to chide. "I... I suppose I was just... l-lonely, but- damn it, I don't want to say that! That makes it seem like y-your fault, but I know it's m-mine! You weren't the one who s-slept with someone else to forget your feelings, it's not f-fair..."

Dark went silent. In fact, he found he could relate quite heavily to what Anti was going through- at least, from what he'd heard. Because, after all, wasn't that the entire reason behind his escapade with Seán those two months ago? Wasn't that the reason he'd come back to Wilford thrice after Anti had arrived? Hadn't he tried then to forget his feelings, to forge new ones, to run away from the hurt?

He swallowed. It seemed there was no time like the present to divulge his secrets. He'd already lost his dignity, and his pride. Now, he would lose his honour.

But he'd give anything in his power to make Anti smile once more.

"Er... That is not... entirely true..." Dark muttered, though everyone could hear him. Mark and Amy already knew, of course, but they hadn't known a thing about Wilford. He prepared himself for the volume of the conversation to grow much, much louder.

"You are not... the only one to... have used others to their advantage..." Dark continued.

Anti blinked disbelievingly. "H-huh?"

Dark beckoned him closer, entwining their fingers when Anti sat on the sofa next to him. He looked deep into those green eyes he'd once tried so hard to run from, and he let his greatest fears be realised.

"I am unsure if... you know already, but... I had once a lover in Wilford..."

Anti seemed to tense a little, but he nodded anyway. "Y-yeah, I... I've been told,"

Dark felt a little part of his heart aching in memory, but pushed the wave of regret aside. "This was a long time ago, Anti... certainly well before your... your arrival, but... but after you came to be, I..."

Dark trailed off, feeling more than a little woozy, but found himself opening his eyes harshly as Anti squeezed his hand.

"Thank... you," Dark replied, smiling feebly in return. Anti looked absolutely fear-stricken, but Dark wasn't worried. He kept talking as if nothing had happened, the pauses between his words growing even longer as the conversation progressed.

"I found myself... confused," Dark explained. "I... I had not thought it was possible... to love in this form. But growing closer to you, I... I certainly felt... something strong. Something... beautiful. But it was also scary, and I... I found myself visiting... visiting Wilford to... to take my mind off it..."

Anti sniffed a little. "So it's true... that really was going on when I was... not  _this_ ,"

Dark frowned. "Please, Anti... It was not at all at... at your expense... I simply didn't... know how to deal with... my feelings... I am sorry..."

Anti sniffled as he shook his head. "D-don't worry, I'm just b-being stupid..." Anti shuddered. "We w-weren't even together, you weren't even ch-cheating..."

Dark shook his head. "We may not have been... officially affectionate quite yet, but... I had considered it a crime... against you. If I had... been honest with myself earlier... I could have stopped..."

Dark let his fingers trail over to Anti's throat, tracing the transferred cut with his thumb.

"I could have stopped all of this... this suffering..."

Anti swallowed. "B-but... it wasn't you, Dark- it was never you. It was m-me, and my own stupid issues- you didn't kill them. I d-did..."

Dark brought him just that little bit closer, his skin feeling cold and stiff, wanting Anti's warmth coursing through him. "That isn't what... what I'm sorry for... Anti,"

Anti inched closer still, sensing that Dark wanted to hold him, but knowing that there was simply no room on Dark's lap for the two of them- that being Anti and their child.

"I'm sorry for... for letting you down..." Dark breathed, looking sickly pale. "For... that day... when you asked me if... I'm sorry I didn't tell you..."

"Shh," Anti urged, seeing that Dark was growing wearier by the minute. "You-you're not alright, Dark, you need rest,"

It was at this moment that the charade of the personal conversation ended. Mark intervened with a "The doctor said he has to stay awake for at least five hours between naps-"

Amy looked at her watch. "No, Mark- he's right. Dark looks like all hell right now- it's been four and a half hours since he woke up, I'm sure he'll be fine,"

Dark shot Amy a grateful look.

Anti looked incredibly nervous, fidgeting with Dark's fingers because they were the only things close to him. Dark reached out, cupping Anti's cheek.

"I know you must be... worried," Dark breathed. "But I promise you, I will be... fine... please, will you stay? Just for a few minutes... more?"

Anti looked warily at the other two occupants of the room, sighing in relief when neither objected. Amy wandered over with a hot water bottle and some ice packs.

"Here," she said, pressing them into Anti's arms. "In case he gets too warm or cold up there- he's been getting really bad fevers,"

"I... okay," Anti accepted.

Amy took charge of the wheelchair, helping Dark make his way up the stairs as Anti trailed behind, holding various supplies that Dark might need as they went to the spare room, flicking on the light.

"Thank you, Amy." Dark smiled.

Amy smiled in return, satisfied that having Anti here was really making it easier for Dark to settle down. The demon hadn't wanted to stay awake for anyone else so far, but now he seemed almost reluctant to sleep. She wondered to herself if they could have Anti here all the time- but that was absurd. After all, Seán was here for a reason- he couldn't go on tour or hang with his other friends if he spent all of his time being there for Dark.

She smiled. "I'll leave you two alone now, just holler if you need me,"

"Okay," Anti breathed, still seemingly unsure of how to manage taking care of Dark on his own.

Amy brought the glitch in for a quick hug, patting him on the back. "You're doing great, Anti, trust me."

Anti smiled a little despite himself. "Okay," he repeated with more certainty.

Amy closed the door on her way out.

Dark reached out to take Anti's burden, setting the various piles on the ever-cluttered bedside table.

He reached up, freeing his arms from the wheelchair. "Could you... give me a... hand?"

Anti hoisted Dark up from his middle, sitting him down on the bed, hesitantly making to remove his arms when he saw that Dark was steady.

Dark didn't let that happen. He leaned in until they were inches away, before kissing Anti gently on the lips. Anti didn't fight it, relaxing into the embrace as if it was the only thing he'd ever known, all of his doubts seeming to melt away.

Dark pulled away after a few moments, feeling lightheaded but he couldn't tell if it was the kiss or his apparent illness that had caused it. Either way, he definitely needed to lie down. He kissed Anti swiftly once more, before he brought his unresponsive leg up to meet him in the bed, rolling over so that he was lying on his back.

Anti crawled over, propping Dark up with pillows nestled in the small of his back and behind his neck. Sleeping with a tummy that size didn't seem like the most comfortable experience, but Anti thought that having these extra pillows would help.

Dark shimmied under the blankets. "Anti... could you pass me... the water?"

As Anti did as Dark asked, he felt like this was a little unnatural. He'd never seen Dark drink anything but wine before, but he supposed that Dark could drink water if he really wanted to. In fact, being in Jack's body for long periods of time gave him headaches if he didn't drink water, but he could feel in his heart that he couldn't stay for long this time anyway.

He put the bottle back on the table, subconsciously sliding into bed with his boyfriend, before realising that maybe Dark didn't want him in there as well.

Dark opened his closed eyes wearily. "Anti...?"

"Yeah?" Anti breathed, wanting nothing more than to kiss Dark again, but also knowing that they hadn't even moved past the cheating yet- let alone whatever Dark had been about to bring up before he'd gotten too tired to speak.

Dark patted the space next to him softly. "Please... don't leave me like this..."

And Anti couldn't help but comply, not even caring that the clothes he was wearing were hardly suited for bed. With Dark's permission, he crawled into bed alongside him and wrapped his arms around his weary lover, nestling their unborn child between them.

Dark let out a contented sigh. "Hmm... she's happy,"

Anti couldn't help but grin. "She?"

Dark smiled, kissing him gently on the lips once more. "Yes, she."

"What'll we call her?" Anti whispered, seeing that Dark was beginning to drift off.

"I like... Desiree..."

Anti let out a little chuckle as Dark began to snore, nestling his head between the pillow and Dark's softly beating chest.

"Desiree it is then..."


	16. Chapter 15

**~Groundlands~**

When Dark awoke, he felt... calmer. More well-rested than ever, though when his limbs shifted he could still feel the stiffness and the ache that haunted him without reprieve. He was tucked gently under the sheets, lying on his side with his arms around someone familiar.

Anti?

Dark knew that figure well- but when had Anti arrived here? He tried to look back through his memories, but they seemed broken and detached, hovering just out of his reach, taunting him. His mind was filled with low muttering, sounds fading in and out as he drew Anti's body closer, closing his eyes against the morning light as he nestled between Anti's shoulder and his soft brown hair.

_Brown hair..._

Dark sighed in disappointment, realising that it wasn't Anti at all. It was Seán, but he'd been so convinced... He withdrew his arms, knowing that Seán wouldn't be comfortable with him getting this close, especially since he was asleep. Dark was surprised that the man didn't have trust issues because of the way Dark had taken advantage of him in May... he supposed he should feel honoured that Seán was even here with him at all.

He rose, just so that he could prop himself up on the pillows that were still arranged neatly on the bed. It was no easy feat- not with a bump this size, and especially not with a dead leg. The pins and needles had yet to come, and Dark was losing his faith ever so slowly in his recovery. He'd brought this body back from death once, had he not? Why, now, was it being so uncooperative?

No matter. He couldn't very well fix it, and he was alone in a bed with a sleeping double of the man he loved... He seemed to remember seeing Anti recently. Something told him that the fight that happened between them, the animosity he'd feared... it was all at rest now. He let out a long breath, feeling his daughter kicking at the walls of his womb again. Desiree... Anti had liked that name.

He couldn't quite recall how he knew that, but he was certain of the fact. This baby seemed to be wild-spirited, if the bouncing around she was doing was any indication. The name seemed to fit her like a glove already- it reminded Dark of his own mother, whom he'd lost to the very man who'd taken everything else from him.

His brows furrowed as the bitter train of thought continued. Mark... Mark Doom. Why was the name at the top of his lips, when the last time he'd heard it was the fifties? It felt like there was something urgent, something important that he needed to do, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what.

It was mind-boggling, and Dark was growing ever more frustrated, and soon he found himself literally shaking with grief. Grief for his own afflictions, and grief for his mother, and grief for both Damien and Celine, though he hadn't been able to hear them for quite a while.

He blinked back the tears. Why was he so weak, all of a sudden? He never cried- not because he didn't want to, but because the demon had to choose exactly who to show his weakness to and it had only ever picked four people... Wilford, Seán, Anti and...

"Phil..." Dark breathed, running a hand through his hair. That's right- it was easy to forget that he'd been charged with taking care of the young man a few months back, especially since everything that had unfolded afterwards tended to drown that event out in significance. He'd been stuck here in the Groundlands, and then he'd finally reconciled with Anti, and now he was having a child... had it really only been three months?

Dark resolved to meet with the man again- even if only for a brief chat and a catch up. It wasn't like he had any other friends in this realm- even though both he and Daniel's original might well be on another continent, due to their tour...

He absentmindedly tapped at his stomach as he pondered, and he heard a faint giggle that reverberated through his mind. It was almost alien, a sound that Dark would believe belonged to a grown man pretending to be a young girl- peculiar to say the least, but his already teary eyes snapped down to the place his hand was holding.

"Was that you, dear?" Dark breathed, tracing his stomach fondly. He of course didn't expect a response, but he found himself filled with a rather happy feeling as the baby somersaulted around, jiggling Dark's skin slightly. He smiled. He had no clue how she'd done that- but really, who else could it have been?

"You're an intelligent one..." Dark cooed, enjoying the second-hand exhilaration coursing through him. "I can't... I can't wait to see you..."

She seemed happy, though she didn't respond with words- she was only seven months old, after all.

_Seven months... She'll be all grown up before you know it, huh?_

Dark looked to his side as Seán stirred, dislodging the sheets and knocking his pillow out from beneath him. He looked up into Dark's eyes blearily, blinking away the sleep.

"Hi," Seán simply greeted, rubbing his face. "Dear Lord, how early is it?"

Dark shrugged almost mechanically, his shoulders still stiff and sore. "I am not sure... quite early, I'd wager. I am sorry... if I woke you,"

"It's fine," Seán yawned. "Really, I'm probably just jet-lagged still. How are you feeling?"

Dark smiled contently. "Much better... I do believe that... whatever happened yesterday... did wonders..."

Seán's dazed morning face quickly turned into a concerned frown. "You mean, you don't remember? Any of it?"

Dark blinked. "I had thought... it was something so generic... that it was easily forgettable..."

Seán sighed, groaning under his breath. "No, Dark, we got Anti out here for you. You guys... you guys talked about some pretty heavy stuff- you really don't remember?"

Dark cocked his head to one side. Had Anti really come by? Well, he supposed that was why he suddenly felt so free- if Anti had come to the Groundlands and they'd talked about what happened, that would explain why he felt like everything was okay.

But why had the memories escaped him? This didn't normally happen...

"I do not... remember," Dark agreed, frowning. "What kind of... heavy stuff?"

Seán bit his lip worriedly. "Well I didn't really catch all of it but he said... he said he cheated on you,"

Dark blinked. Why would Anti do that? And... how would Anti do that? He wasn't nearly as close to the others as he was to Dark, and he didn't know of anyone but Wilford that would let it happen- but he refused to believe Wilford would do such a thing. Not after Dark had threatened him after he'd tried to make a move all those years ago...

"... Did he, now?"

"That's what he said," Seán sighed, looking a little ashamed for his counterpart's sake. "I don't... I don't see why he'd lie about something like that, but you seemed to be handling it pretty well. Or maybe you were just... just tired, or something- you had to go to bed pretty soon afterwards,"

"It appears... so," Dark uttered, closing his eyes briefly. "With... whom?"

Seán shrugged. "The conversation kind of ended before he could explain, sorry... you were trying to make him feel better, I think. I caught that you and Wilford were a thing for a while, but... then you guys started making out so I tried my best to ignore what was happening,"

"Oh, dear..." Dark sighed, rubbing his temples in annoyance. Really, how could he have let the notion that they weren't alone slip like that? "I do apologise... it mustn't have even... crossed our minds... that you were still there..."

"No, no, it's fine," Seán insisted. "I get it, you're a couple, it's just... weird to watch. Without really... telling myself to do what I'm doing. Seriously, it's fine, just don't do anything crazy sexual,"

Dark chuckled despite himself. "Well... if you insist," he agreed. "But I am... concerned... about my memory... problems..."

Seán tsked worriedly. "The doctor said you might have permanent brain damage, but they didn't want to X-Ray you because you were pregnant. It might not be anything but your memory that goes, but... watch out for it, okay?"

Dark nodded solemnly, not really wanting to admit that there was something seriously wrong with him, but he was running out of excuses for himself. "Right, I... I will... do you think Mark and... Amy are awake?"

"You hungry?" Seán asked, acting as though he should have asked immediately as he scrambled to his feet, smoothing out his crumpled clothes and making his way to that damned wheelchair that Dark loathed.

Dark felt his stomach growl. "Yes... the baby wants her food,"

Seán snorted. "Yeah, the baby, of course... come on, I'll see what's cooking,"

Seán helped Dark into the wheelchair again as the demon stretched out his arm, the loosening of the muscles only straining him more, but it had to be done sooner or later. The baby bounced excitedly in his womb, perhaps aware enough to know what the word 'food' meant. Dark wouldn't put it past her. She was turning out to be quite the witty child indeed.

"I do believe she's talking to me," Dark breathed on their way down the stairs.

"Really?" Seán asked, sounding more than a little surprised. "You can hear her thoughts again? What does she say about me?"

"You fool," Dark teased, "Not with words... not yet, anyway... I heard her... laughing, earlier. Like she was... trying to imitate me... it was... adorable..."

"You're sure it wasn't anything else?" Seán asked.

Dark shook his head. "No, Seán, it was in my head... who else could it have been?"

As if in confirmation, the baby giggled again, the sound sending shivers down Dark's spine. He couldn't wait until he heard her real voice.

He wagered that she felt the same way.

Seán must have noticed his smile widening and put two and two together. He knelt beside Dark's bump, pressing a hand to the place Dark usually held his. Before long, he felt the baby kicking him, and he let a grin break out on his face too, looking up with sparkling eyes to meet Dark's own.

"Come on, Desi, what do you think of me?" Seán practically begged.

Dark tried to bite back a laugh, but it escaped him anyway. "She's... she's not a magic... 8 ball, Seán..."

But still he felt... warmth. Comfort, but also longing, all shared through the strange empathic bond that was being shared between him and his child. As if Desiree knew that the man talking to her, while he sounded like her father, really wasn't the man her instincts told her he should be.

"She's not quite... sure about you," Dark said, smiling down at the two of them. "Perhaps you... remind her of her papa,"

"Papa Anti..." Seán mused, getting to his feet. "Imagine the fanbase getting wind of that one... though they already call you Daddy Dark, I suppose it's probably been done at this point,"

Dark groaned in annoyance. "Is that where... Wilford picked up... that phrase? Oh, I could have slapped him... for degrading me like that... but I suppose anything is better than..."

He trailed off, shuddering at the memory. Of all the things to retain in his mind- his moments with Anti were nowhere to be found, but the recollection of what had unfolded between he and that ego Peevils...

He'd been a little hesitant when he met Amy for the first time, simply because he'd already been forced to banish her ego from his manor and from being part of the lives of his family. But he soon found that he'd really had nothing to fear. Amy was nothing like her ego- she was sweet, kind and caring. Peevils was crazy, stubborn and sadistic, and perhaps that's why he never used those words to refer to Anti.

His love didn't belong in the same bracket as that wench.

"What?" Seán asked. "What happened?"

Dark shivered in remembrance. "Amy has an ego, too... though hers isn't openly... acknowledged. She seemed... convinced... that we were made... for each other."

Seán's eyes widened. "Wait- really? When was this?"

"It was a few years... back," Dark explained. "Before Anti had... left. Before your... egos arrived. She was pretty... but she wasn't my... type..."

Seán snorted in response, despite Dark's sour tale. "Yeah, I don't think I've heard you admit to liking anyone but dudes just yet,"

Dark smiled softly despite himself. "You'd be... correct. I told her I wasn't... interested... but she persisted..."

"I can only imagine how Anti must have felt," Seán sighed, remembering that Anti was around long before Mark and Amy even met. Of course, Anti would have felt horrible knowing that someone was trying to take Dark from him- maybe that was part of his insecurity.

Maybe he was scared that Dark would leave him for someone better.

Dark shrugged. "At the time... I don't believe Anti had... truly discovered his... feelings. Though he was certainly... jealous. If Yan had been... been around to teach Anti... how to use a knife... I am sure it would have ended... much differently,"

"Well, how did it end?" Seán asked, raising an eyebrow. "Was it anything like with Anti?"

Dark shuddered. "No... if only. If Peevils had half the urge... to stay away that Anti... had... my life would be... simpler. I was... forced to banish her," Dark sighed, folding his arms as the unpleasant memories burst forth in his mind. "With the promise that... if she ever returned to my territory... she would be given a fate... worse than death..."

"Sheesh," Seán winced. "Wasn't that a little harsh?"

Dark shook his head. No, especially after what she'd tried to do to Anti, she deserved every bit of that banishment and more. "Come, watch... I may just be able to... show you..."

Dark gripped Seán's arm tightly as the memory spiraled forth, being shared between the two minds as one. Nobody was there to see the grimace of pain that Dark wore as his hold on consciousness slipped, but he regained his will and soldiered on. He would not be beaten by this insufferable ailment.

_"Did you get my texts?"_

_Peevils had opened the door, her dark jacket unzipped to her collar and her heels clacking menacingly on the marble floor of the manor. Her hair was blonde and her eyes a fierce yellow, and she tapped her foot impatiently as Dark rose from his seat to face her._

_He appeared to have been sitting with Anti and The Host, along with Googleplier. They'd been playing some kind of scrabble game- but it was forgotten now, as Dark approached the copy of Amy that Seán had never seen before_.

 _"_ Yes _, Peevils, I recieved your texts," Dark grimaced. "All 900 of them. You mustn't have roamed far, as Google is our only network provider. I must insist that if you want to talk to me, you do it in person, as I am currently very busy- it will also remove the fear of finding unsolicited pictures when I use my devices,"_

_Peevils rolled her eyes, ignoring that Dark had basically just accused her of sexting him. "Well you didn't text me back,"_

_"Dark?"_

_Dark's head whipped around to face Anti, brown hair, a tiny amount of stubble and round cheeks that so resembled Seán's very own when he was just a little younger. It was like a different person to the glitchy mess that had overtaken him recently, and Anti stepped forward, interlacing his fingers with the demon's as if it was normal for them._

_Sheesh. And they'd waited how long to become official?_

_"Just ignore her," Anti scowled in jealousy, sending Peevils a sharp glare that she returned with fervour, before Dark snapped his fingers._

_"Eyes on me, Peevils. I have had just about enough of your shenanigans- I have told you again and again that I am. Not. Interested."_

_Peevils scoffed, walking over and disentangling Anti's hand from Dark's, putting her own in its place. Even Seán felt his blood boil a little at that, and he could tell that Anti was positively fuming behind Dark. Couldn't she see that they were an item?_

Or maybe, that was why she did it. She wanted Dark for herself...

_The demon remained inexplicably calm. He snatched his hand away, looking at Peevils with what Seán could only imagine was contempt._

_"You repulse me," Dark seethed._

_Peevils gasped aloud, before shaking her head furiously. "Dark, this is just our first fight!"_

_Dark growled, suddenly letting what must have been months of anger loose on the woman before him._ **_"And it will be our last."_ **

_"Oh my God, Dark!" Peevils whined. "Why are you being such a lousy boyfriend?!"_

_Anti stiffened a little, but there was nothing Seán could really do about it now. Dark seemed to have a handle on the situation, however, and he stepped forward angrily, his game and friends forgotten._

**_"Don't you get it, you crazy bitch?! I'm gay!"_ **

_"Well choose not to be gay, then!" Peevils screeched, her teeth elongating as she snarled, her form beginning to waver as if she wasn't sure what to be. "You're meant to be with_ me _!"_

_Dark was positively livid. He reached out and grabbed her by the arm, forcing her to look into his eyes. Seán was pleased to see a glimmer of fear shining from the bright yellow of the offending ego's gaze._

**_"If you do not cease causing trouble in my manor, I will be forced to use violence,"_ **

_Peevils gnashed her teeth in retaliation, suddenly seeming inhuman and unstable. "Uh-uh, no way, no how- a man shouldn't threaten his woman!"_

_She slugged him in the jaw, and while Seán hadn't expected Dark to react at all, he found himself surprised when the memory blurred, Dark's head having been knocked back, focusing again on Peevils' rude hand gesture as she paraded out of the front door._

_"Dark?!" Anti called, and Seán soon noticed that the glitch was checking Dark over for any signs of physical harm. "W-what happened? I thought you couldn't get hurt?!"_

_Dark calmed him, running a hand through his hair, and resting the other on his cheek. "It's okay, Antithesis... I was not hurt. I let her believe that she had succeeded so that she would leave us be,"_

_Anti looked down in embarrassment, his cheeks flushed deep red. "Oh..."_

_Dark brushed Anti's cheek affectionately again (_ seriously with the PDA? Seán didn't even think Mark and Amy were that bad... _), taking his hand and leading him back to the game that was still unfolding in the lounge._

_"I didn't want her to hurt you, Anti," Dark explained, rearranging a few of his letters- he had a terrible set, in Seán's opinion- three E's, two A's, a Z and a set of T's. But that wasn't the important information he was really here to obtain._

_"That bitch? She wouldn't have-" Anti started, but Dark cut him off._

_"Yes, Anti, she would," Dark said with finality. "And I'd take any hit if it meant protecting you, and all of the other egos that reside here,"_

_Anti sighed, snuggling into Dark's side as the demon looked at him, eyes crinkling disapprovingly._

_"Are you satisfied now that you've seen my unfortunate arrangement of vowels?" Dark asked humorously._

_Anti grinned cheekily, sitting back up in his seat. "It's only fair, you can read minds! And Host already gave it away, and besides, Google's been using a word finder for the last three rounds. You three suck to play with,"_

The memory faded, Seán finding himself sitting back in the living room with a somber, sadder looking Dark.

"I am sorry," Dark muttered. "I was... reminiscing,"

Seán clapped him on the back. "Hey... it's okay. I get like that sometimes. You really miss them, huh?"

Dark smiled weakly. "Yes... yes, I do. But... that's enough dwelling..."

Seán nodded, standing from his seat, satisfied that nobody else was awake yet. "Right, I'll make you some food. French toast sound good?"

Dark licked his lips wistfully. "Marvellous,"

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Ah, there you are! Abe!"

Wilford had arrived at the bar he'd agreed to meet his old friend at, and was pleasantly surprised to find that he didn't need to wait at all for the man to show up. The former detective's eyes widened, and he looked around nervously as Wilford approached, though the mustached man didn't know what he was so worried about.

"You can't just draw attention to yourself like that!" Abe hissed, setting down his glass of whiskey. "How the hell did you survive the fifties acting like this?!"

Wilford shrugged, pulling up a chair and gesturing for the bartender to make him a juice on the rocks. "The fifties weren't so bad, now, were they?"

Abe blinked. "The fifties... Colonel, you were in Korea during the damn civil war, and you're saying it  _wasn't that bad_?!"

Wilford shrugged, and Abe grimaced, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Right, right, forgot who I was talking to- hey listen, why did you want to meet now, after all these years?"

Wilford took a shaky breath, silently berating himself for feeling that insistent pang of regret when Jameson crossed his mind. When would his heart realise that he was moving on now? It had been so easy with Bim, Kinkiplier and Dark... well, perhaps less so with Dark, but Wilford didn't need eyes to see how infatuated the man was with that young lad Anti. He wouldn't take that away if someone offered him a million dollars and a new wife. "I've been... busy. But not anymore. I need to find them, Detective, and you're my only hope. You've been keeping tabs on them, right? On Celine? Damien?"

Abe stomped harshly on Wilford's foot under the bar, glaring at him when a woman turned to eavesdrop. "Shut it! Haven't you heard about how they found Mark's body again? That damned house is cursed, and who knows what else will go wrong if we bring it up... Don't say their names, people will pay attention and we don't want that, got it?"

Wilford chuckled despite Abe's serious demeanour, naturally not having a grasp on how dangerous the situation really was. "I didn't think you were one for superstitions, Abe. Besides, what happened in that house can stay there- I need to find Celine, have you seen her?"

Abe rolled his eyes, resigning himself to the fact that they were going to be overheard. "I should've known you just wanted your old mistress back. Well, I hate to break it to ya but she's long gone,"

Abe took another long swig of his whiskey as Wilford cocked his head to one side, confusion evident on his face.

"Gone?" Wilford asked disbelievingly. "Where, out of the country?"

"No, you idiot," Abe groaned. "Dead. Just like Mark and the mayor are dead, everyone's dead and gone- it's 2018 for crying out loud, you were born in the 1900s. Our generation doesn't exist anymore, Wilford. They're all either buried under dirt or on fifty different meds trying to stay alive,"

"But then how are we still alive?" Wilford asked the detective, who sent him a fierce glare.

"Yeah, speak for yourself," Abe muttered darkly, unbuttoning his shirt just enough so that Wilford could see the ever-bleeding bullet wound in his heart. Like he could have forgotten...

"Like I said, place is cursed. I'm not going to go back there and figure it out for you, just so you can have your old fuck buddy back. Best to leave it be- don't you have someone else to screw? I mean, you've been gone fifty-odd years, I'd thought you'd finally settled down,"

"I..." Wilford started, but shook his head, denying himself the pain. "No. Not anymore- he left me, and... and it doesn't matter. I love Celine with all my heart, she's not dead. How can she be dead, when we're still here? Do you have anything that can help me find her, Abe? Please?"

Abe groaned under his breath. "I have... a hunch. But I don't have any real information, I only have contacts,"

"Well, who is it?" Wilford asked desperately.

Abe put some money on the counter and gestured for Wilford to follow him, finishing his drink in a single swig. They made their way outside, away from the drunken chatter filling the building and out onto the quiet enough street.

"I'm sure you remember your old buddy Robert," Abe sighed, hailing a cab as he explained. "The Chef. He's still around and kicking- which makes no sense to me, but... then, really, nothing does anymore. Anyway, I found him a few months back, he runs a diner on the waterfront- if anyone has a lead on where the mayor and his sister went, it's those two,"

"Two?" Wilford asked. "What do you mean, two?"

"The butler," Abe said simply, gesturing for Wilford to get in the cab. "They're business partners now,"

Wilford frowned. "But... the butler is in the Void, Abe- the place I've just left... are you telling me that he might have a clue as to where she-"

"Shh," Abe commanded harshly. "Take us to Harbor Boulevard,"

"Right," sighed the cab driver, a woman who looked to be about forty. "Suppose you two aren't much for talking, huh?"

"You're not an Uber, we don't have to rate you," Abe replied with just a hint of snark in his tone. "Just take us to where we gotta go, alright?"

The cab driver sighed again, taking off. "Customers these days... well, suppose I shouldn't be complaining. The last guy didn't even pay for the ride, just ran out of the car at that abandoned apartment complex down the road..."

"How strange," Wilford agreed, not even bothering to wear a seatbelt as he leaned on the back of the driver's seat. "Say, are those earrings vintage Chanel?"

Abe shook his head, leaning back in his seat. "Unbelievable..."

**~Void~**

"Vell? Vhat did you say?"

Anti fidgeted with his fingers, not trusting himself to use his blade lest he have another unfortunate relapse. It was sitting, confiscated on the table behind his brother, Schneep. He'd just returned from possessing Jack in the Groundlands, and he was saddened to find that he really hadn't been there for long at all. In fact, both Schneep and JJ hadn't even left the room while he was gone.

"I t-told him I cheated," Anti started, looking to JJ for support. He was slowly getting used to having him around without fear of being caught doing something they shouldn't be- he guessed it was sinking in that he didn't really want JJ at all, but being this close was still making him a little uncomfortable.

But he'd have to move past that sooner or later. He didn't hate the silent man- in fact, he felt that what happened between then had brought them closer than they really needed to be, but he supposed he shouldn't be complaining. Jameson was being so kind about it that Anti felt like a douche for losing faith in him earlier.

"Und how did he take zat?" Schneep pressed on.

Anti shrugged, not really knowing the answer himself. He'd tried to elaborate, but Dark had done what he always did- he'd told Anti that he wasn't alone, that Dark had done much worse, as if that made anything that Anti did redeemable. If Anti stabbed someone? Dark had helped kill three times as many people. If Anti lost his temper? Dark had one much worse that could burst at any moment. If Anti had dishonoured the definition of love by sleeping with another man? Dark had slept with more.

There was no winning, was there? Anti didn't care that Dark felt he was worse- because Anti thought Dark was amazing. Because Dark rose up above all of the self-worth and judgment issues, and Dark could live with himself- Anti still didn't know how to do that, and it had been nearly three years since he'd hit rock bottom.

"He just..." Anti sniffed, "He just said... I wasn't the only one."

Schneep seemed to soften, standing and pulling the glitch into a half-returned hug. "Oh, Anti... but you returned so happy! Tell me, vhat else happened?"

Anti shuddered as the memories danced before his eyes. "It was W-Wilford... Dark confirmed it. A-and... and it was still h-happening when... when I was here."

Schneep nodded grimly, while Jameson reached out to hold Anti's hand in reassurance.

"Ja, unfortunately zat vas almost certain already..." Schneep sighed. "So did you find out who ze father vas?"

Anti broke his sad demeanour to crack a smile, hardly believing what he'd seen with his very eyes earlier today. What he'd felt, and what he'd heard...

"She's mine," Anti smiled proudly, more proud of this fact than most other things he could name. "She... she's got my eyes. You should've seen it, Schneep, he was glowing! I'm... I'm gonna be a dad... fuck."

Schneep snorted. "Fuck indeed, mein Bruder. I am very glad zat zis issue has been resolved- though... did er mention anything about Jack?"

Anti shook his head. "No, no he didn't... he just... he barely spoke a few words to me before he passed out. He isn't... he isn't well, is he?"

There was a pregnant pause.

"Nein," Schneep sighed, taking his glasses off and wiping them solemnly with his lab coat. "Er ist nicht vell, Anti. I did not tell you zis before you saw him because I did not vant your time to be taken up by vorry, but... er ist dying. Slowly but surely. He... he has stage four cancer, Anti, und zat is incurable. I don't... I do not know if he vill make it, but ve have to believe zat he vill. I have seen zat man spring back from surgery vithout batting un eye, but it seems zat carrying zis child has taken a lot out of him. Ich... I cannot say for certain zat he vill live or die, but... you must be prepared to be zere for ze baby, Anti. Dark vould vant zat,"

Anti had started to cry- cancer? He didn't know what it was, but he'd heard about it and he knew that it was definitely a bad thing to have. And if Dark couldn't get rid of it, Anti didn't like his chances of pulling through. But... but he couldn't die, right? Anti had killed him before, and he always came back, right?

"He can c-come back if he fades, r-right?" Anti asked, voice cracking a little with doubt.

"I think so," Schneep swallowed, "But Anti... er ist pregnant. I do not think... I do not think ze child vould survive if Dark vere to die, even if he could return,"

Anti blinked away some more tears, becoming increasingly aware of just how tightly he was holding Jameson's fingers in his grip.

"Sh-she could die?" Anti hiccuped. "I... I've only had her f-for a few hours, I don't want to g-give her up, I..."

Schneep patted his back comfortingly, though he hated to be the bearer or bad news.

"I know zat, Anti. Dark feels ze same- rather passionately, too. He has told me... zat if it comes to ze vorst, he vould die so zat you could have ze child, not even realising zat ze baby could die as vell. He must be careful, Anti- I am going to see him at least vonce daily to make sure zat er ist not doing anything unvise."

Anti nodded, biting his lip as the tears continued to fall from his eyes. All of this... Dark, the baby, his new life... he'd barely had it for two months, and considering the decade or so he'd been aware, that time was nothing. He wasn't prepared to let either of them go, but he had a sinking feeling that the choice would have to be made eventually. He'd seen Dark himself, that man just didn't look like he was going to last... but he couldn't bring himself to sacrifice one or the other. On one hand, he'd known Dark forever- he was sure he could live happily forever with the demon, and yeah, maybe they'd have a few arguments on the way but he was sure it would work out in the end.

But his daughter... Desiree... how could he justify giving her up like that? He hadn't met her, but he already loved her with all his heart and he couldn't knowingly harm her, just to save Dark from a death he would probably have had to face anyway.

Schneep patted Anti's shoulder again. "Nobody is asking you to make ze choice, Anti- besides, es ist too late to abort ze child. Not only is she too large, but Sie ist already conscious und alive... it vould not be right. I can only hope zat you von't have to lose either of zhem,"

Anti nodded, sniffling as he wiped away his tears. God, what a mess...

"T-thank you, Schneep," Anti stuttered out. "I... I'll be f-fine."

Schneep frowned, eyeing the pair of egos disapprovingly. "Now, ze last time you said zat, it didn't vork out so vell, did it?"

Jameson hung his head, and Anti nodded grimly.

"I p-promise, we'll behave..." Anti uttered feebly.

Still looking a little wary, Schneep closed the door on his way out, and seemed to be heading upstairs when Anti's field of view was blocked by the face of a hauntingly familiar figure.

Jameson lingered there for a few moments, their breaths mingling ever so slightly as their foreheads bumped, feeling all too reminiscent of an embrace they so wanted to forget. Jameson hesitated briefly, before leaning in and giving Anti one last, parting kiss.

It wasn't short, but it wasn't enduring either, and Anti found himself missing the feeling of Dark's kiss even more as he let Jameson attempt to fill the slowly healing cracks in his heart.

But Jameson had already done what he could. He'd showed Anti the places he missed Dark the most, so he could build up his relationship with the demon even stronger than before. Even if Anti could never fill Jameson's own empty heart, at least the mustached man hadn't ruined everything. Anti might not know it, but Jameson was very proud of him for bouncing back so quickly after being knocked down.

Jameson envied him in that respect. He'd sought someone else to fill the place Wilford once had, but Wilford was still there. And by the look of things, he wasn't going anywhere either. If only he could have seen that before he tried to shove Anti into a place he didn't want to be. A place that couldn't accommodate him if he tried. His own heart...

They parted, and Jameson licked his lips before pressing a crumpled sheet of paper into Anti's hands, swiftly walking out of the room. His task here was done, but his own quest for realisation was only just beginning.

Anti sat there, stunned. He hadn't expected that, but he hadn't exactly expected the opposite, either. The kiss wasn't lasting, and it was barely more than a touch, but Anti knew that it meant the end.

He carefully opened the paper, being greeted by Jameson's elegant scrawl. He began to read.

_Anti-_

_The night we spent together was no mistake, even though it has caused us so much worrying. Do not misunderstand me, please- it wasn't the right thing to do, and I am sorry from the bottom of my heart for putting you through all this trouble. But there is a lesson to be learned here, and that is why I do not regret it. When I found you, I was hurt and angry. I wanted to inflict my pain on someone else. I wanted to get back at Wilford for the countless times he's cheated on me since our relationship began, but I failed to realise that what I started with you was just as bad, if not worse than what he had done to me. I have not forgiven him- and I don't plan on doing so until he shows me that he is truly sorry, but in the same way, I do not expect you to forgive me._

_Do not beat yourself up because of this. You wouldn't have consented if you weren't in pain, and I know from experience that pain is more powerful than any drug or liquor when it comes to making poor decisions. And because of this, I do not consider it consent at all. If you need someone, anyone else to pin the blame on, I will take it. Even if it's just to make you feel better. I want you to be happy- and you will be happy with Dark and your baby girl, you don't need this to linger any longer than necessary._

_So this is me forgiving you, even though you really don't need forgiveness from me- I was hoping it would help soothe your mind. After all, it sounds as though the only one who hasn't forgiven you is yourself. But don't dwell any further on what we were, please. Enjoy your time with Dark and your baby before the worst comes._

_I will always be here if you need me,_

_-Jameson_


	17. Chapter 16

**~Void~**

"Hey, Septiplier,"

Anti had been sitting on the couch in his living area, cross-legged and tired-looking- if his slumped torso and yawns were anything to go by. When the fusion in question entered the room, Anti sat up a little straighter, willing the television to turn itself off and facing Septiplier with bleary red eyes.

A note fell to the floor.

"You dropped something," Septiplier said, frowning a little at Anti's troubled demeanour. He knew that sustaining all of the egos couldn't be very good for his energy levels, but this seemed a little excessive. After all, Dark and Anti had been pretty evenly matched as far as Septiplier could tell. Why was Anti having such trouble keeping this place up and running, when Dark had managed to sustain the manor all these years? 

"What's up?" Septiplier asked, voicing his concern aloud. He knew Anti wouldn't tell him unless he said something- for someone so emotional and empathic, Anti certainly kept his feelings bottled away unless he felt comfortable sharing them.

Anti scooped up the paper, tucking it into his pocket like he didn't want anyone to see it as he shook his head. Septiplier could respect his privacy, even though he wished Anti trusted him enough to say what was bothering him- but that wasn't why he'd come here.

Anti sighed, brushing his hair back from where it had fallen into his face. It was growing out like Marvin's, but Anti didn't seem like the type to let it go on for long. He was probably too distracted looking after the other egos in Dark's absence to really have a look at himself, Septiplier mused.

Anti took a deep breath. "You know... you know how me and Dark are together now?"

Septiplier blinked, uncertain as to where this was going. "Yeah... why? Did something happen with you guys?"

"I guess you could say a lot of things have happened," Anti breathed with the shadow of a smile, beckoning for Septiplier to join him on the couch. Beside him were Robbie and The Host, who were snoozing softly together, not at all bothered by the conversation happening next to them. Anti must have trusted them immensely to be letting them sit with him while he spoke his mind. The Anti that Septiplier had known was certainly nice and friendly enough to those he trusted- it just so happened that the most vocal ones in the manor were people that the glitch didn't feel comfortable with.

"Well, start from the beginning," Septiplier said, trying to be helpful. How much had he missed in these past two months? Anti certainly didn't look like he was coping with whatever was happening, so it must have been pretty huge- was this part of the reason why Dark was missing, and maybe even Wilford too?

"Well, we're... we're having a baby," Anti sighed, as if he still couldn't believe it himself. Septiplier cocked his head to the side, looking Anti up and down to try and determine if he was joking. Because he didn't think it was possible- really, on every level. They were only egos, right? They didn't have real bodies... not to mention that they were both male. But Anti didn't make any move to indicate that his words weren't the truth.

"You... are? Really?" Septiplier uttered, his confusion giving way to mild excitement. A baby? Here, in the Void? He could only imagine how it would be with a child around here- Dark running around after them, threatening anyone who got too close, and Anti sneaking around with them to play jokes on the older egos. It sounded... fun.

But why did Anti look so troubled as he nodded, biting his lip and running his hand through his hair?

The glitch sighed in distress. "Yep, she's a girl. That's why Dark's been gone all week. He... he tried to find me in the Groundlands, and now he's stuck there with Mark and Jack,"

Septiplier sighed in recognition, knowing that Anti didn't entirely trust the man who created him, despite the fact that he was part of Septiplier, and Septiplier was his friend. He supposed that if he'd arrived here without a clue of who he was, he'd be spiteful as well. 

"Ah... that can't be good for your health, huh?"

"Oh, you should see D-Dark," Anti tried to joke, but he sniffled a little toward the end of the sentence. He wiped a tear from his eye, breathing deeply, and Septiplier braced himself for the worst.

"What about him?" Septiplier asked, concerned. "Is he okay?"

"H-He's..." Anti sniffed, his hold on Septiplier's hand growing tighter. "He's dying, Septiplier-  _really_  dying, and it w-wouldn't normally scare me but the baby could d-die with him and she w-wouldn't come back, and-"

Septiplier pulled the hysterical man into his arms, patting his back and trying to console him despite really having no grip on the situation or how it could possibly feel to be in this position at all. Dark was dying? How come he was only hearing about this now? Surely Schneep or Doc would have figured this out sooner than Anti would- he may have been a smart ego, but he was still fairly clueless sometimes, after all.

"Hey, it's alright," Septiplier muttered, knowing deep down that it was only false hope he was giving. If Dark really was going to die, and the life of their child was going to be lost... well, that's not something you can really sleep away overnight, no matter how much reassurance he could provide. "How... how is he dying? What's wrong?"

"He's got c-cancer," Anti hiccuped, wiping his nose. "Schneep said he... he has stage four breast cancer, and... I don't know w-what that really means but f-fuck, he didn't look good at all,"

"Cancer...?" Septiplier asked, his voice cracking just a little at the end of the line. "I thought... I thought he couldn't even get sick,"

"So did I," Anti agreed. "But... but I don't know anymore... I'm worried,"

"Of course you're worried, Anti," Septiplier affirmed. "He means everything to you- I... I didn't expect this kind of news, I'll be honest... I just came over to tell you about me and Halter,"

Anti smiled through his tears, looking like he was happy to change the subject. "T-that you're a couple? Yeah, I know... It's... pretty obvious,"

Septiplier let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "You mean you don't think it's weird?"

Anti snorted, patting Septiplier's back reassuringly, not even noticing that their roles had practically reversed within a few sentences. "No way- have you even seen anyone else around here? You and Halter are hardly the most abnormal lovebirds in this place, just look at me and Dark. Or Bing and Chase, or- heck, even these two,"

Anti gestured to the sleeping forms of Septiplier's two brothers, Host and Robbie, as they continued their blissfully ignorant dreaming. The fusion couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, that's true... sorry, I've just been... wondering,"

"About what?" Anti pressed.

Septiplier was a little shocked at just how invested Anti seemed to be in his love life right now, but then he realised that it was probably the glitch's way of getting his mind off the trouble that was unfolding within his own life. Septiplier guessed he was happy to be a distraction- maybe Anti could even help him out here.

"Well... it's only been around three months since Halter arrived, and I've just turned four years old, and I just don't know if that's a great start when it comes to having a relationship- isn't that kind of age difference... strange, to you?"

Anti rolled his eyes, clearly thinking that it was hardly strange at all. "What does Halter say about that?"

Septiplier sighed fondly in remembrance. "He just... he just says that Phan's been around since 2009 and that he's actually five years older than I am, which... I mean, I get it, but that's also not really the point. It's not  _him_  that's been around for that long- he's still young and impressionable, and I'm just old and boring and depressed..."

"Oh, shush," Anti insisted. "You're not boring, you're probably the most exciting one here- there's a reason he likes you, and it's not just because you're both fusions. I know him, Septiplier, trust me. He wouldn't date you for the heck of it,"

Septiplier let out a breath of hot air. "Heh... okay. I... alright. Guess I was asking the wrong person about an age thing, huh?"

Anti snorted, remembering that Dark had told him he'd lived with Wilford in the Void since the late 1970s. Even though he had no clue of exactly when he'd arrived here in the Void, Anti had determined that he was probably less than ten years old. He really was the last person to talk to about an age gap, but... remembering Wilford and what Dark had told him really put a damper on his carefree mood.

His expression soured. "Hey... did you know that D-Dark and Wilford used to be together?"

Septiplier bit his lip. Well, he knew they'd been a fling, but he hadn't known how serious it really was- only that he'd overheard a hushed conversation between the offending pair that seemed to indicate that they were sexually involved. He hadn't thought much of it at the time- Wilford was known for getting around, and it wasn't really his business, but knowing how lovestruck Anti had been at the time...

He gulped. "Um... yeah, I knew. You... just found out, huh?"

Anti sighed in frustration. "I just... yeah, I just found out. He just told me, and he said it was all because of how he didn't want to face his feelings, but that's... that's gotta be bullshit, right? The way he talks and acts around me... it just feels so fake sometimes, so over the top and sappy and that's what I loved about it but... Septiplier, what if he's only saying that to make me feel better?"

"I..." The fusion started, at a loss for words. "I don't know what to tell you, Anti... he might be. I don't... I don't know for sure what Dark's feelings for you are really like, but I do know that when I heard him talking to Wilford about... them, he brought you up quite a bit,"

Anti's eyes widened a little. "He... did? Wait, you heard this?"

Septiplier nodded grimly. "That's how I knew in the first place- I was wandering around the manor looking for Google, and I found them talking in the kitchen..."

_Septiplier jumped, startled by the sudden volume of Wilford's voice, booming from the kitchen. He stopped in the hall briefly to catch his breath, resting against the wall. He'd just been about to go upstairs in his search for Google, wanting to know more about the two people he was comprised of, when he started to feel a little anxious. This seemed like a very private conversation..._

_"Ah, Dark! Where did you disappear to last night?"_

_Septiplier could see them standing there, with Wilford leaning on the counter over a hot cup of tea, and Dark looking in the oven, busy shovelling peanuts out of the bottom. The demon looked quite annoyed to be interrupted like this, and he seemed rather... frazzled. Septiplier couldn't quite place what was wrong, but something about him just seemed off._

_"I had business to attend to," Dark replied coolly, sending Wilford a meaningful glare._

_Wilford snorted in return. "Oho,_ business _, eh? Without your clothes?"_

_Wilford held up a hand with what looked like one of Dark's button-up shirts spinning on his finger. The demon glowered at him as his features darkened, indicating a blush as he snatched his shirt away._

_"Wilford!" Dark hissed harshly, and Septiplier could see him straightening his tie, looking flustered as his eyes darted around. "Do you have no sense of discretion?"_

_Wilford rolled his eyes. "Well, I didn't know it had to be a secret! You should've told me that when I was screaming out your name last night Darky-"_

_"Do **not** ," Dark interrupted furiously, "call me 'Darky', Will."_

_Septiplier didn't know Dark was opposed to the nickname- after all, he let Anti use it all the time. He shook his head in bewilderment- why was he still here? He wasn't meant to be hearing this, that was clear. But if he made any move to leave, the other egos would know he'd been here listening. There was nothing to do but stay put and hope that they left via the balcony instead of going upstairs..._

_"You didn't seem to mind yesterday," Wilford grinned, apparently enjoying watching Dark squirm. "In fact, you seemed to enjoy it a little too much..."_

_Dark swatted Wilford's creeping hand away, standing up again and taking a few steps back. Septiplier took a hasty breath, knowing that Dark could easily see him standing there from his position, but he was too focused on Wilford to notice. At least, that's what he assumed..._

_"I don't want this," Dark growled. "Not here- not like_ this _... You know exactly what last night meant to me, Will. Do not overstep your boundaries,"_

_"You're one to talk about 'boundaries'," Wilford muttered, retreating reluctantly. "You didn't even ask me for a safeword,"_

_Dark's eye started to twitch in annoyance. "Do you really think you'd need a safeword, Will? Especially for the level of touching I permitted? This isn't the seventies, Wilford, I don't... I'm not invested in you. You're just a fling. I thought you of all people would understand that,"_

_"You know, for someone who every woman out there falls over for, your interests are very vanilla," Wilford countered, taking a sip of his tea._

_Dark groaned aloud, tugging his hair in frustration. "You're just as arrogant as always... that wasn't even part of the discussion. What do you want with me, Will?"_

_Wilford cocked his head to one side, and suddenly, he was standing closer than ever to Dark, almost as close as Septiplier had seen Dark and Anti get in the past, but this time Dark didn't look like he approved of their proximity._

_Wilford let his arms rest around Dark's middle, pressing their foreheads and their chests together, as Dark averted his eyes. Septiplier was puzzled- were these two a couple? Well, Dark had said it was just a fling, but he certainly didn't seem opposed to the affection that Wilford was giving him._

_"I thought you liked it," Wilford muttered, swaying them slightly on the spot. "Being close... me calling you Darky, letting you have your way with me..."_

_Dark tensed. "Stop. Please..."_

_Wilford put his hands on his hips, stepping away from the flustered-looking demon. "Oh, I see. Maybe next time we should invite Anti along, hm?"_

_Dark, if possible, flushed even deeper. Septiplier knew that Dark and Anti were close, but he never suspected that Dark actually had feelings for the other ego. In fact, what he'd just seen seemed to contradict that notion, but the way that Dark reacted to Anti's mention was too strange not to note. The demon growled, suddenly fierce and determined, towering over Wilford with a glare that would make anyone nervous._

_**"You will do no such thing!"** _

_Wilford laughed aloud despite the situation, clapping the demon on the back. "I knew it! Oho, wait until I tell the doctor, he owes me a blowjob-"_

_"You know **nothing** ," Dark insisted, folding his arms, the lights starting to flicker. "Do not forget your  **place** ,"_

_"I know that you've got a_ desperate _crush on Anti," Wilford teased, batting his eyelashes as the lights finally overheated and blew. Smoke began to trickle from the ceiling, but Septiplier didn't dare to move. He feared for his personal safety, and he couldn't understand why Wilford wasn't doing the same._

_" **I do not have time for 'crushes',** " Dark huffed, eyes narrowed. "And even if I did- he doesn't deserve to be corrupted by  **your** lascivious advances,"_

_Wilford let out a loud chortle, not bothered at all by the fact that Dark could blow up this entire kitchen in moments. "Oho,_ my _advances? And who was it that practically threw himself at me down by the pool last year, eh? Who was it that came to my room drunk off his head and started to-"_

_"In case you haven't noticed, Will," Dark seethed, "I am not 'throwing myself' at anyone else. You know exactly what you mean to me, nothing more and nothing less. Now this conversation is coming to a close whether you like it or not,"_

_Wilford laughed softly to himself, finally deciding to back off a bit. Septiplier watched with bated breath as the mustached man approached Dark, whispering not-so-quietly into his ear._

_"You know, next time, you should just ask the lad out,"_

_"That will be all, Wilford," Dark insisted, and Septiplier felt his heart jump in his chest as Wilford sent him a sly wink, leaving the kitchen and heading to the lounge. How long had he known the fusion was there?_

_Septiplier was about to leave, when Dark let out a frustrated sigh, and all the hope drained from the fusion's chest._

_"Septiplier, please come in,"_

_Septiplier hung his head in fear, walking slowly into the kitchen to see Dark pacing worriedly on the spot. The demon caught his eyes, glaring up at him with some kind of intensity that Septiplier hadn't seen before. He wisely closed his mouth, deciding that asking questions was probably not the best course of action here._

_"Not a word, do you understand me?" Dark threatened. Septiplier hastily nodded, and suddenly, he could breathe freely again. He hadn't realised just how constricted his throat had become, and he rubbed at it softly as Dark finally dismissed him, all thoughts of finding Google lost to him._

Anti was quiet as Septiplier finished explaining, but then, he let out a pitiful sigh. "I... I don't understand. Why didn't he want me to know? I th-thought we had no secrets back then, I just... I trusted him, you know?"

Septiplier didn't know how to respond. He could see where Anti was coming from, of course- he was definitely feeling betrayed and lost, but Dark had his reasons for keeping the truth a secret as well. He didn't want to hurt Anti- it was clear now, though it hadn't been for a while, that the demon truly did care for the green-eyed ego. Septiplier could understand that Dark didn't know what he was really going through when this happened- he certainly seemed confused and angry the day Septiplier had caught him, but the fusion hadn't really known any better at the time.

"He... he didn't lie to you because he hates you," Septiplier voiced, looking Anti in the eyes. "He just didn't want you to get hurt. He... he obviously had feelings for you that he didn't understand. He must have... used Wilford as a release,"

Anti bit his lip again, tears rolling from his eyes despite his calm demeanour. "It doesn't hurt any less..." he shivered. "I just... wish I could have figured it out sooner..."

Septiplier sighed, feeling like he was trying to explain this to a child. "No, Anti- you don't understand. To him, you were still young. Childlike, and happy, and free from emotional pain- he didn't want to corrupt that. He felt like he wasn't good enough for you, because he was so much older and wiser, and he'd seen how easy it is to fall if you don't handle your life carefully..."

Anti gripped tighter on his hand, trying to butt in, but Septiplier wasn't done talking quite yet.

"And he knew that if he hurt you in any way while you were together it would break you, and he didn't w-want that for you, Anti- that's why he took it out on Wilford. Because Wilford's a damn man-slut who's been around just as long as he has, and he knew that Wilford could handle the rejection b-because he was older and more broken than you were-"

"Stop making this about the fucking age gap!" Anti growled, finally letting his frustration get the better of his patience. "I swear to God, Septiplier, if you're this upset about dating Halter then maybe you should go and talk to him instead of asking me for advice I can't give you!"

The room fell quiet, and all that could be heard were the little lapses of the snores coming from Host and Robbie. Septiplier had almost forgotten they were here.

"I... you're right," Septiplier sighed. "Sorry. I'm just... worried that it's not the right thing to do,"

Anti let out a groan. "Septiplier, this is the first time I've seen you happy since... since fucking Jackie arrived, alright? He's good for you, why can't you see that?"

"It doesn't matter how good he is for me," Septiplier insisted, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It matters how bad I am for him-"

"Oh for fuck's sake," Anti grimaced. "Get up, you idiot- we're going over there to get you laid so you can stop obsessing over nothing,"

"I- what?!" Septiplier hissed in surprise. "We're not- I'm not- we've only been dating for a week, Anti!"

"Well, then we're going over there so you two can do something else to take your mind off it," Anti retorted, willing the door to open. "I don't know why you came over here, but you guys have my blessing, or whatever. Seriously, don't make unnecessary issues for yourself, Septiplier- dealing with the ones you have to live with already is hard enough."

Septiplier sighed in defeat. "You're... you're right, I know I'm catastrophising, but..."

Anti patted him softly on the arm. "You've got this, man. I think that dating Halter is probably the smartest thing you've ever done,"

Halter came to the door, opening it with a puzzled expression.

"Um... hi?"

"Hey Halter," Anti greeted. "Long time no see- but we'll catch up later. I'm leaving Septiplier here so he can get over his irrational fear of hurting you, don't let him out until he gets that he's only a danger to himself,"

Septiplier turned, but the glitch had already gone back to his house, leaving the two fusions alone in the cool Void. Septiplier rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Uh... hi," Septiplier said meekly.

Halter raised an eyebrow. "Not the age thing again, is it?"

Septiplier sighed. "I just... don't trust myself to be there for you. I can't even be here for myself half the time,"

Halter took his hands, pulling him closer and holding him around his middle. "You spork... I'll be here for the both of us, then."

"But that's-"

"You haven't hurt me yet," Halter insisted. "And I don't see any point in thinking about ways you could, either. Just... come inside, Septiplier, we'll watch a movie or something,"

Septiplier sighed as he nodded, knowing deep down that Halter was right. But this sinking feeling, this depression... it may be better when he was with his new lover, but sometimes he couldn't help falling into it again. He wanted to be better. He wanted to be normal, with normal emotions and normal limbs and a normal voice... but he wasn't normal. And he was a fool for letting himself be so caught up in that idea that he didn't even realise how pathetic the entire thing was. Halter wasn't normal either, but that didn't stop the man from being amazing.

Jackieboy was here, having a heated discussion with Marvin about veganism (Septiplier had never understood why Jackie hated the idea of eating animal-based foods so much, but he'd always respected his lifestyle), and they were accompanied by Yan, Silver, Clint, Tommy, Bim and Squirrels, who looked like they were organising a game of truth or dare.

Halter nudged him softly. "You alright?"

Septiplier smiled, feeling the sudden urge to kiss him, and when he found his fingers tangled in the other fusion's hair, holding him close, lips pressed together and moving in time... this was nice. This was new, and exciting, and happy, and  _nice_.

Halter broke the kiss, letting out a little giggle. "What was that for?"

"Because I really, really like you," Septiplier breathed, smirking as he tapped Halter's nose. "That's all,"

"I really really like you too," Halter snickered, and they might have kissed again if Jackie didn't call out to interrupt them.

"Hey! You two in the game or not?"

Halter shrugged, looking at Septiplier for an answer.

Septiplier shrugged. "I'll join in... but I haven't played truth or dare before. All my fics just involve a lot of unnecessary smut so that's really unrealistic,"

Halter chucked aloud, entwining both his left hands with Septiplier's rights. "Don't worry- it's not like a fanfiction at all."

And as they sat, Septiplier thought to himself, wondering if he'd ever have found the courage to leave his room without Phil's kind words... but he supposed it wasn't quite fair on Halter to keep likening him to Phil. He was, after all, part Dan as well, and Septiplier quite liked that cynical, melodramatic side of him. Though he didn't think he'd ever have the chance to meet Dan, he felt that having Halter here was enough of an indication of how he acted, and Septiplier couldn't help falling for both of them. Halter was so sweet and kind, and so quick-tempered and philosophical that everything he said had meaning. Everything he did lit up Septiplier's heart, and he only wished that with his goofy personality and deep Irish brogue, he could do the same.

He held his boyfriend a little closer as Marvin took the first turn, asking Clint if he'd ever made out with someone before as part of his truth.

It wasn't very surprising when he said he didn't, but something about the atmosphere was telling him that this game would uncover many secrets. He was just glad he had nothing to hide.

"Squirrels, truth or dare?"

"Dare, I ain't no wimp."

"Okay... I dare you and Bim to have seven minutes in heaven,"

Septiplier opened his eyes just in time to see Bim let out a small squeak of surprise.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Robbie's eyes fluttered open, the game of soccer that had been playing on the television having long stopped running, the room dark and quiet. He nuzzled a little closer to The Host, who was holding him around his middle as he slept. Robbie relaxed into the embrace, not really knowing when they'd fallen asleep, but happy to see his lover at peace. Host didn't often sleep, Robbie knew- he was always so intrigued in the story, so obsessed with his predictions and theories that he stayed awake constantly, just to see how the narrative would play out. Robbie had always admired his dedication to his role, but being here, calm and quiet... it was kind of nice.

Robbie smiled happily, playing idly with Host's fingers in his hand. He wasn't sure what they were- they never really discussed it, but they kissed and cuddled and fell asleep together, like most friends would never do. The zombie was confident that he loved Host, and he felt certain that the feeling was mutual. Though he couldn't see Host's eyes, the smile that spread across his lips when they spent time together was telling of it all.

But having no label meant that he wasn't entirely sure where the boundaries stood between them. He'd been only a little hesitant when they'd shared their first kiss two months ago, and Host turned out to enjoy it quite a bit- but that was only a simple touch. Like holding hands, or pressing their legs together on the couch, or holding each other in a hug. It was just body part to body part- but where did they have to draw the line separating the simpler things like kissing and reading together with the heavier, more sensual, more meaningful acts that real couples did?

Robbie wasn't sure if Host would be comfortable with an advance of this kind just yet- after all, since his appearance last August, it had taken them nearly a year to get to the point where they could share open mouthed kisses and hold hands in public. Was it too soon to be taking it to the next level? All Robbie really knew was that he didn't think he'd mind getting that little bit closer to the man he was all tied up with.

But he'd respect Host's decisions regardless. He should've known that at some point, they would have to set some rules. But for now, he was content to sit here and wonder. What would it be like? The Host's brothers had a well-known reputation among the rest of the egos, one that Robbie had picked up on a while ago when he'd listened in on some Septiceye gossip. Marvin, Schneep and Jameson all had partners that acted like they were tough and felt they were in charge, but in the bedroom it seemed a completely different story.

And Robbie was aware that Chase and Bing were now together, but he hadn't seen just how close they'd gotten- perhaps this elusive milestone hadn't even crossed their minds yet. But, he doubted that. Chase was rather well-known for his exploits, after all, and Jackie wasn't exactly breathing down the ego's neck about abstinence.

Jackie... Robbie could only sigh when he thought of his older brother's insistence on keeping him young and innocent forever. It was just so unrealistic- everyone grows up at some point, right? Though he was barely a year old, it's not like Marvin and Schneep waited this long before having a relationship. Heck, even JJ, who was two months younger than Robbie, had been with a man notorious for his sexual prowess for the past half a year. He was sure that if Clint and Tommy had any sort of desire to find a partner, nobody would stop them.

Why then was Jackie so dedicated to making sure that Robbie and Host never got too close?

And JJ... oh, when Robbie heard Host narrating what was happening in Dark's bedroom, he couldn't help but cry. He'd been worried about Jameson for a while- he and Host had spoken about how Wilford was being a bad influence, and an even worse lover, but Robbie had never expected it to get this out of control. He'd never expected to hear that Anti and Jameson were involved in such a way, one that should only have been reserved for couples who decide they're ready for it. Even Jameson's relationship with Wilford had fallen into that category, despite how horrible JJ had felt when Wilford grew intimate with others.

But Robbie shook the thought from his head when he noticed he was tearing up. He didn't want to get upset, not while he could be here enjoying this brief time without being watched by all of his older siblings.

He shifted, crawling into Host's lap and entwining their hands, pressing small kisses to his lover's neck. He loved the way that Host's heart would speed up when he did things like this- loved the way he could make Host turn red under all those bandages, even when he wasn't awake.

But his slumber only lasted a little while longer, and Robbie became aware that Host was  conscious when the older man gave a little grunt of acknowledgement, shifting to accommodate Robbie on the couch with him.

"The Host is pleasantly surprised to see that Robbie is awake," Host breathed, his head lolling back as Robbie nestled into the crook of his shoulder, hugging him warmly. Host let his fingers trail from Robbie's unresponsive hand to the younger ego's purple hair, brushing it softly as he mused to himself.

"The Host enjoys moments spent like this, with Robbie in his lap and his arms around the young ego. He enjoys the brief moments of relaxation that focusing on Robbie gives him. He is quite glad to take a break from narrating the events of Antithesis' troublesome present, and would much rather devote his time to making sure that Robbie is happy and satisfied,"

Robbie smiled, bringing his head up so that he could kiss Host on the lips, letting his hands slowly roam the man's shoulders and upper body. In return, he could feel Host's fingers dipping into the smooth skin of his side, trailing down just enough to hold the ego steady by the back of his thighs.

They'd grown just a little more adventurous with their touches recently- since their first kiss, Robbie was definitely aware that he wasn't holding back as much with his thoughts and movements. Lips smacked with lips, and tongues brushed together, and Robbie felt shivers running down his spine as he rocked slowly in Host's arms, keeping a slow pace but maintaining his motion, all the while just wondering what it would feel like for Host's hands to ride that little bit higher on his figure.

He felt uncomfortably needy like this and he let out a little whine, his grip on Host's shoulders tightening as he moved a little closer, legs planted either side of Host's lap, trying to abolish the incomplete feeling that was growing inside. It was like he needed something, but he didn't know what- like a craving, or a need to get up and move after a long day sitting down, but at the same time Robbie had never experienced this feeling before. He didn't know what was happening to his body, but Host was there, and even when they broke apart the man wasn't letting go of the younger ego.

Host looked troubled. He was mumbling to fulfill his narration curse, but his voice was barely a whisper, and Robbie looked desperately at him, just wanting to hear an explanation. They were close as they could be, and usually he'd be content with this, but he felt like he needed  _more_.

His heart began to sink a little when he realised that what he was feeling- this welling up inside of him, this intense need to be relieved... did Host know he was feeling this way?

Was Host aware of the boundaries of their relationship? Had Robbie made things awkward, just by being present in this state of discomfort, which had prompted Host to determine what was wrong?

He buried his head in Host's neck, letting out a deep sigh. He didn't want to push this on Host- he was happy to sit here with him, really, and take it slow. Perhaps, Host would never be ready for this- perhaps, Robbie wasn't either.

But he finally heard Host speak again, and the words sent trembles across his skin.

"The Host... The Host understands what it is that Robbie desires, even if the zombie doesn't, but... The Host is concerned that it is too soon for this."

Robbie's heart hit the bottom of his chest unwittingly. Even though he'd told himself he'd be fine as they were- something wasn't settling right inside him. Something wanted more than he was getting, something that knew tonight might be his only chance to really get to know Host better without Jackie being concerned about it.

The Host stiffened a little, before holding Robbie tighter, speaking softly into his ear. "The Host does not say that because he isn't willing, he elaborates," Host breathed quickly. "The Host has nothing against the idea of being intimate with Robbie, but he fears that in light of the recent and hasteful wrongdoings of Robbie's two brothers it might be considered unwise to become involved in such a way,"

"But..." Robbie started, closing his eyes as Host's fingers trailed down his back. "They... aren't... together..."

Host pressed a kiss to Robbie's forehead, giving him a small smile as they came face to face again, letting Robbie crawl just a little bit closer, until they were inches apart once more. He cupped Robbie's cheek, being unable to see through his blindfold but being aware of Robbie's presence as indicated by his warm breaths.

"The Host agrees that the circumstances are quite different," Host breathed. "And while others may consider this relationship to be disarranged and unconventional, The Host loves being a part of it with Robbie,"

"...Really?" Robbie asked, unable to prevent himself from smiling at Host's kind words. Host smirked, kissing the tip of Robbie's nose and chuckling quietly when Robbie curled in on himself, being rather ticklish among his facial structures. The Host didn't need to see him to know that Robbie was smiling too.

"The Host promises it," Host whispered.

Robbie kissed him again, sending dizzying tingles through Host's veins as he leaned into the touch, threading that soft purple hair with one hand while the other was pressed into the small of Robbie's back, holding him in place.

Host was very aware of the thoughts careening through Robbie's mind, but he wasn't entirely sure how he should react to them. They weren't overtly sexual, of course- no, the man simply wanted another level of intimacy that Host would normally think nothing of providing, doing it in a heartbeat to please his lover. But Robbie was beloved by more people than just Host, and Host knew it. He knew that the man was babied excessively, just because he was slow, and Host was always very careful to reassure Robbie that he was just as mature and intelligent as the rest of his family.

Host also knew that Robbie's patience was wearing thin with his family members- they'd been interrupted several times these past two months by Jackieboy and Chase alike, both being upset at how affectionate Host and Robbie were getting in public. Host knew it was nothing personal- they'd be overprotective with Robbie no matter who he was with, but it still made his blood boil to know that his life, his  _story_  was being influenced by egos who had no idea what he was going through.

Host knew that Robbie felt the same. The two were similar, but very different at the same time- a perfect juxtaposition. Yes, Host rather liked that term in relation to his romance with Robbie. Out of all of the pairings that had come to life in this Void, Host felt that his relationship with the younger ego was the most unprecedented- the doctors were obviously made for each other (though Host had quite a few shenanigans with the man he'd come to regard as a brother back when he was The Author) and the day Marvin had been introduced, he'd paired off with Yandereplier leaving no time for speculation.

When it came to Dark and Anti, Host allowed himself creative license- after all, they'd existed long before he had, and their smitten behaviours could have taken a long time to develop, but by the time he existed he could tell that their romance was inevitable. And how Wilford had seduced Jameson- well, that also happened quite soon after Jameson's arrival, but given how similarly they dressed, all of the egos expected them to get together at some point.

But when Robbie arrived, there was speculation as to who would latch onto this one, as the previous Septiceyes had all paired off splendidly- save for Jackieboy. Though after a time, the speculation died out. Host wondered if it was because they believed nobody would love a zombie, but he closed that train of thought fairly quickly. Everyone loved Robbie, after all- though it was only Host that dared get this close.

And he loved every moment of it.

As he sat here, basking in Robbie's presence, he found himself pondering. His lips twisted and parted as the ramble of his mind was spoken aloud, breathing against the zombie's neck, visions and images swarming him as he was forced to recount them. Robbie's body tensed a little at some of the finer details, but he relaxed quickly, giving Host short, sweet kisses in between the run on lines.

One thing struck Host again and again, as he spilled the inner workings of his mind to his patient lover. Like a plot bunny that wouldn't leave- a paragraph just itching to be written, but in this case it was skin just itching to be touched. A man just itching to be loved.

And he was loved, he knew it. But this, he meant differently.

"The Host is frustrated," Host muttered, forming a definitive sentence for the first time in minutes. Robbie blinked up at him.

"...How?"

Host sighed, running his fingers through Robbie's hair yet again- it was one of the most calming, relaxing motions he could muster, but the bitterness and yearning still boiled away inside him. He wanted to speak to Robbie, of course he did- he wanted to tell the man everything, but he knew that even in his blind state, it would be impossible to say no to those pleading white eyes.

Host gritted his teeth. And just why couldn't he express his love for his significant other in this way? Because some overprotective jerk felt he had a say in what they did together? Because Robbie was somebody else's stand in for a child they lost?

Robbie was his  _lover_. If anything, it was himself and Robbie that had a real say here. It wasn't as if Robbie was considered underage, otherwise Jameson would almost certainly be like an infant to them. It wasn't as if Host was a harmful creature, and it wasn't as if Robbie didn't know all this before they got together in the first place.

"The Host has decided that the opinions of others no longer matter to him," Host stated, smiling at the sensation of Robbie squirming slightly in excitement. He truly didn't need eyes to feel the love pouring out of the other ego as he gripped Robbie's arm, steadying him. He aligned his head so that he could be staring Robbie in the eyes, though they both knew that was a reality they could only wish to be a part of.

"The Host tells Robbie that if he wishes, they can take their relationship to the next level, whichever level it may be,"

Robbie hugged Host tightly around his middle, the smile never breaking from his lips as he mouthed repetitious 'thank you's into Host's shoulder. The way that the younger ego was so thrilled at the idea of something that should have been freely allowed brought a hint of sadness to Host's mind, but he pushed all that aside. He would make it up to Robbie when the time came, now that he was certain the time would come at all.

"...Tonight?" Robbie asked pleadingly.

Host smiled, only hesitating for a moment- after all, he hadn't expected Robbie to want this so soon, but then he nodded. He couldn't deny he was getting a little excited as well, though he didn't wear the emotion nearly as well as Robbie did.

"Tonight," Host agreed, kissing Robbie softly again. "The Host insists, however, that he and Robbie find their way to their room first,"

Host had never seen Robbie so agile as he stood from the couch, pulling Host to his feet and giving him a firm hug. This experience was certainly going to be new for both of them- though Host was by no means a virgin, it had definitely been a long time since he'd even thought of sharing this level of intimacy with someone. But seeing how excited and happy Robbie looked, Host let all of his worries melt away. He smiled.

Tonight would be one to remember, and not just for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this the first ever Robbie smut-


	18. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to a chapter of pure smut. I took a break from the parallel plots to explore my two favourites, but the story will be coming back soon :)

**~Void~**

Blinded from the dim light of the room, Robbie sighed contently as he lay sprawled on the cotton sheets, his insides fluttering with excitement. He was sure that if his heart still pumped blood around his body, it would be beating right out of his chest- his fingers and toes tingled in anticipation, his cold skin slowly warmed by the room's heated atmosphere as he waited for Host to return to their bed.

His senses were telling him that Host was already here, but that was only because of the bandages that were wrapped loosely around his head, the faintest trace of blood still clinging to them despite Host's best efforts to cleanse them. Robbie knew that Host didn't quite understand why he'd asked for his bandages- but he'd given them to the zombie without a second thought, his blood-covered sclera shining in the vague light, curiosity knitting his eyebrows together. It was adorable in Robbie's opinion, but he understood that Host was very self-conscious about letting others see his eyes, so he never pushed his lover to remove his bandages in public. He settled for letting his hands roam during their quiet nights, pressing softly into the dips either side of Host's nose, peeling back the soaked fabric to lay cool kisses on his glabella.

But Host had complied, and Robbie had fastened them tightly around his head, not trusting himself to keep his eyes closed in the following hours- it wasn't that he didn't want to see, but rather that he wanted to focus on how it would  _feel_. It took a lot for Robbie to feel some things, after all, and he thought it would help this along if he wasn't distracted.

Host had made a small fuss about how tight the bandages were, growing closer to Robbie and reaching around to loosen the folds of the bandages-turned-blindfold, and Robbie's breath hitched at the touch. If something so simple could elicit such a response from him, he couldn't wait to feel what else Host had in store for him.

His mind wandered to Jackie and Chase momentarily, as he lay alone on the sheets- they wouldn't want him to do this. They both wanted Robbie to stay pure forever, but Robbie didn't think that tonight would really change him like they feared. Just because he was letting Host explore him, just because he was finally allowing his hands and fingers to roam places he'd never touched before... why did they think that would change how he felt around them?

Perhaps, Robbie pondered, they were simply jealous. Jealous that Robbie had something with Host that they couldn't get on their own. Jealous, because while even Chase had a partner, Jackie hadn't found love quite yet. Jealous because even though Chase did have a lover, they couldn't be together like the others could.

Robbie had pity for them. But he was tired of letting their inhibitions get in the way of his relationship. He wasn't a month old anymore, and he deserved love just like the rest of his brothers did- and tonight, while Jackie was away and Chase was busy with his own love life, Robbie was going to let himself enjoy being closer to Host than ever before.

He jolted a little as he became aware of a familiar presence- lips trailing across the side of his neck, catching slightly on the dry skin before sealing Robbie's lips with a tender kiss. He let his hands rise to greet his lover, the smooth bumps and crevices of Host's torso feeling like hills and valleys beneath Robbie's slim fingers. He felt the bed dip beneath him as Host climbed on- and the trench coat that he always wore was nowhere to be found, and Robbie hissed a little as he felt Host's brilliant warmth against his chilled skin. It was a good kind of surprise- rather like climbing into a pool on a hot day. No matter how much the initial change in temperature is dreaded, the sensation of being engulfed in the wash of cool was delightful, and Robbie wouldn't trade this close warmth for anything.

Robbie found himself leaning into the touch, trying to absorb the heat instinctively, before Host pushed him back down to the mattress softly, the thinnest string of saliva still connecting their lips.

"The Host does not want Robbie to hurt his back," Host mumbled, tenderly kneading Robbie's chilled thighs to give him a little extra warmth, though he'd already asked Anti to install a thermostat. The room was much warmer than usual, and although Host had started to sweat a little, he knew it would be worth it in the end. Robbie, after all, couldn't create heat on his own. He was an ectothermic little creature, like a moth, though Host would never say that aloud.

He couldn't see very well what was happening- contrary to popular belief, he still had eyes, but they were so constantly bleached red with blood that no light could really pass through them. His vision was blurry and dark, and he could barely see the outline of Robbie's body beneath him, even though he'd left all the lights on. He was conscious of the blood droplets leaking from his eyes, dripping onto Robbie's abdomen, but the zombie didn't seem to mind at all. Host took a deep breath, wondering if this really was too soon, but he digressed quickly. Robbie wanted him, and he wanted Robbie, and that was all that mattered.

The real question he figured he should be asking was  _how_ Robbie wanted him. How far did the zombie plan on this going? Was it going to be a night of simple, innocent enough touches shared on skin the sun never reached? Was it going to be a little more serious than that? Host had prepared himself to satisfy whatever Robbie wanted of him, and some of the things he'd found himself discussing with the likes of Schneeplestein and Kinkiplier were enough to make him flushed and uncomfortable, but when he thought of bringing Robbie happiness, he found he was willing to do almost anything for even a smile in return.

He shifted a little, wondering briefly if Robbie was disturbed by the fact that he was already a little worked up, flush against the zombie's pelvis while Robbie remained cold and flaccid. But it didn't seem to be the case, and Host figured there was no time like the present to lean in and kiss his lover, thinking to himself that they would take it from there.

He trailed his fingers from where they'd come to rest on Robbie's thighs, all the way up to his cheek, feeling his way around. He was well acquainted with Robbie's upper body, as he could often feel the curves of Robbie's ribs and spine through his thin striped shirt, tracing them now as he passed them. His fingertips brushed Robbie's nipples and the younger ego let out a breathy groan, but Host would wait just a little longer for consent's sake.

He finally found Robbie's jaw again, smiling as he leaned down and kissed him gently, the blindfold itching just a little against the bridge of his nose. Warm, wet crimson was dripping everywhere- Host could feel it sliding down his cheeks, beading up along his neck, dripping down to Robbie's pearly white chest. He reached blindly for a box of tissues he'd summoned earlier- though he'd thought they'd be used for a different kind of mess- accidentally knocking the box to the ground. Robbie must have noticed the way Host slumped a little in defeat, as the zombie reached out to grasp the writer's hand, rubbing at the nooks between his knuckles reassuringly.

"... Nervous?" Robbie asked him, and Host found his breath caught in his throat, having forgotten how much he'd missed that gentle rasp. He sighed, trying to relax himself for Robbie's sake, but it was far easier said than done.

"The Host is nervous, yes," Host muttered. "The Host... has not been with anyone for many years,"

Robbie smiled in understanding and sympathy, guiding Host's hand to his still, lifeless heart. He enjoyed the warmth more than anything, and though he couldn't see through the folds of his bandages, the thought of Host being all red and flushed brought him a fluttery, happy feeling that welled deep in his stomach.

Host licked his lips, savouring Robbie's taste before it faded, deciding to finally speak his mind.

"The Host asks Robbie... he asks what Robbie wants from him tonight. He tells Robbie that he is willing to go to all lengths to please him, and wishes for Robbie to indicate where his boundaries lie,"

Host knew the answer as soon as the question left his lips, but he paused and waited to hear those low tones emanating from Robbie's mouth. Even if he had all the answers to everything that was happening around him, nothing would stop him from enjoying Robbie's little mumbles and whispers.

Robbie cracked another little smile, letting Host relax a little as he stopped applying pressure to the writer's hand, shifting down on the bed so that they were chest to chest.

"I... want..." Robbie began, his bandages creasing slightly as their foreheads pressed together softly. "To... feel... you..."

Robbie trailed his hands down so that he was resting them against Host's thighs, well aware of the blood that was rushing to a nearby region, swelling by the second. He could feel Host straining against his skin, and they'd already come this far- he wanted to feel that warmth inside him. He wanted Host to make love to him.

And when Host kissed him again, Robbie found that he'd relaxed a little more, as if hearing the confirmation had soothed his busy mind.

"Then The Host will oblige," Host breathed, sitting up and gently prying Robbie's legs apart, setting them on either side of his shivering body. He really was nervous- the last time he'd done anything of this sort had been with Dr. Iplier in the year 2015, easily three years prior, and at the time the two had been partners for a small while. It had ended mutually, and the fact that the relationship occurred was hardly the problem- no, Host was mainly concerned because he'd been rather rough with Doc during their lonesome nights, and he had no idea of how Robbie would react to his strength. He didn't want to hurt the zombie, but at the same time he didn't want to leave him unsatisfied, and he didn't want to face that the only way they could reach common ground was to start this and go from there.

He fished some lubricant from within the sheets, having placed it there so that it would warm to room temperature, and as he fiddled with the cap he felt Robbie's figure quivering beneath him, practically begging for affection. Host felt a little guilty, but he knew that Robbie would appreciate it if he hurried himself to prepare the zombie instead of using these moments to shower him in kisses. As far as Robbie was concerned, they were being timed. Host knew that they could easily evade Jackieboy and Chase during regular hours, but Robbie just didn't seem comfortable knowing they could interrupt at any moment, no matter how Host would threaten them away.

Host decided it would be best to let this happen tonight, away from prying eyes. After all, Robbie was never so relaxed around his family members- and the fact that he was relaxed was helping wonderfully as Host smeared some gel-like fluid on his fingers, tracing the unfamiliar bumps and wrinkles of Robbie's lower body as he slowly pushed a finger inside.

Host shivered a little at the cold, feeling he should have expected Robbie's insides to be just as temperate as the rest of his pale figure, but he didn't remove his hand as Robbie let out a little sigh, hips moving reflexively, his still-unresponsive organ flopping helplessly to one side. Host found himself curious. Robbie didn't have blood- he was animated in a strange, otherworldly manner that allowed his muscles and joints to move, but it seemed that without the red fluid to help him out, he was unable to get a rise. Though just by observing the way Robbie was squirming with delight beneath him, it was clear that he was quite aroused.

Host didn't mind at all that Robbie couldn't get it up- and neither, it seemed, did the ego in question. Robbie subconsciously rolled his hips, pressing Host's fingers even further into his anus as he groaned out desperately, "... _More_ ,"

"The Host asks if Robbie is sure," Host uttered, licking his lips again to stop them from drying out. He could still taste Robbie on his tongue, the bliss of their small kisses coming to mind as the zombie nodded, humming affirmatively when he realised that Host was just as blind as he was. Host breathed out, his fingers twitching a little as he uncapped the lube again, knowing that he hadn't used nearly enough to accommodate three fingers yet.

With another shaky breath, Host pushed a third finger in, stretching out Robbie's walls and finding that they were already quite loose- much more relaxed than he'd ever found the doctor to be, anyway- but he didn't trust himself to stop now, pushing a little deeper until he was up to his knuckles, and then Robbie clenched around him.

Robbie's breaths were heavy and drawn out as he felt his muscles tighten at the stimulation, though it felt like barely enough as Host trailed his free hand up, resting it on Robbie's abdomen firmly. Robbie reached out to grasp it, bucking his hips again, still craving something  _more_.

Host sighed softly, interlacing their fingers as the blood continued to stream from his eyes. "The Host understands, but Robbie needs to relax before they can continue. The Host does not want to hurt Robbie,"

Robbie let out an unwitting whine, frustrated at his body's refusal to calm down. It was tense and shaking, and Robbie tried to relax his muscles to no avail, eventually letting his arched back sink into the sheets, deciding to start back at square one. Host frowned, slowly removing his fingers and leaning over, dripping crimson into the bandages he'd let his lover keep.

"The Host asks Robbie if he is certain that they need to continue this," Host breathed, waiting for Robbie to respond as the zombie's breathing grew steadily heavier.

Robbie groaned, shifting to try and relieve some of his tension, not wanting to give up on Host and this night because of a simple problem like this. He let out a breath, before answering with a timidly drawn out, "Don't... use... fingers,"

Host's red eyes widened in mild disbelief. "Th-the Host asks again if Robbie is sure," he mumbled quickly, feeling Robbie squirming underneath him restlessly. He wanted to cut to the chase as much as his lover did, but he knew firsthand how much it could hurt to have sex without preparing for it first- he'd never knowingly subject Robbie to that kind of sensation, not after how Doc had reacted after their first time together.

"Please..." Robbie begged, squeezing Host's hand as if he understood what was going on in his mind. "Want... you..."

Host let out a shaking breath, uncapping the lube again with trembling hands. Robbie was far too tense for this- whether he wanted it or not, there were lines that Host didn't like to cross. Especially when he considered that Robbie was rather naive in the boudoir, not having experienced anything remotely sexual before. He used his lube-free hand to trace soothing lines across the ghost of Robbie's abs, occasionally venturing further down to tangle his fingers in the small patches of hair that the zombie possessed in his nether regions. He knew he couldn't keep stalling forever- Robbie would grow tired of the simple touches, and wasn't the point of this night to explore all the possibilities they'd never be able to think of in the long, arduous day?

"The Host warns that this will hurt if he doesn't prepare Robbie first," Host explained, rubbing his hands together with a reluctant sigh. "Is... Is Robbie really willing to take that risk?"

" _Yes_..." Robbie moaned aloud. " _... Please..."_

Perhaps he was just too eager. Perhaps, Host shouldn't have let his desires take control at that moment, but his mind was a haze of unwritten pleasure as his hands found their way to his sex, stroking softly to lather it with lube. He'd need a lot if he was really going to do this, no matter how naturally loose Robbie was, and he wouldn't dream of doing anything that could cause either of them any measure of pain.

He crept forward when he was satisfied, though he was still a little nervous as his hands reached to grasp Robbie's hips, holding him firmly in place. A deep breath in, and then out.

"The Host asks-"

" _Yes..._ " Robbie groaned in frustration, seemingly growing tired of the reassurances. "H-Host _... Please_..."

Host took a final, shuddering breath. His fingers found the tip of his cock, guiding himself slowly so that he was pressed up against Robbie's cheeks, before swallowing his worry and carefully pushing himself inside.

He made it about an inch before Robbie began to shiver, and Host looked up instinctively, briefly forgetting that he could no longer see. But Robbie didn't seem to be in pain- no, if the zombie's long, blissful moan was anything to go by, Host would assume he rather liked this sensation. But the rest of the way was hardly going to be as easy as this, and Host let them sit there a little longer, getting Robbie adjusted to his size. It was taking all of his will not to thrust further, to satisfy his own desires and to ruin Robbie's composure- but Host found that with each moment he was still, fighting his instincts, he felt calmer.  _Robbie_ felt calmer.

"The Host asks if it's alright to keep going," Host grunted softly, not having realised just what an effect this proximity was having on his libido.

Robbie was too dazed to speak, but his intentions were clear in his body language as well as his thoughts, so Host moved further in, and then further still, until Robbie was taking three inches and panting heavily underneath him, skin a little clammy with cold sweat.

Robbie hadn't thought it would feel this good- he'd thought it would be great, yes, but he hadn't quite been able to imagine such an intense reaction coursing through his body. Host was warm- unbelievably warm as they collided softly, each movement drawing the writer closer into Robbie's chilling embrace. Why had they waited so long for this?

" _More..._ " Robbie pleaded again, rocking back, trying to fill himself up completely with Host's heat, sending shivers down his spine as he realised just how cold the rest of his body was in comparison to his lower half.

"The Host reminds Robbie of patience," Host shuddered, pressing just a little deeper and feeling some resistance from Robbie's gluteal muscles, indicating that Robbie wasn't stretched enough to take any more. "The fear of hurting Robbie is invading his mind,"

"Won't... hurt..." Robbie insisted, though he knew that he was no expert in matters like these- it's not that he liked pain, because really, he was no masochist. He just wanted to feel this for what it was, and if pain came with it, that was fine by him. Because Robbie knew that it would be the best pain he'd ever experience, and he'd be experiencing it with a man he trusted with his entire afterlife.

"The Host does not think Robbie understands the danger," Host muttered worriedly, blood mixing with salty tears as it leaked in droplets from his eyes. He sighed. "The Host... The Host apologises for creating such a mess,"

"It's... fine..." Robbie mumbled, his fingers creeping softly along Host's arms as he wiped some stray, sticky fluid from his lover's eyes. "Don't... mind..."

"The Host knows," Host uttered in return, the sensation of Robbie's muscles clenching again around him sending ripples of pleasure through his veins. "The Host... feels that they should try something less intense,"

"No..." Robbie grunted, pulling Host closer to him. "Can... take... it..."

"Is-"

Robbie groaned, arching his back and forcefully grinding down on Host's crotch, pushing Host even further inside of him as pleasure coursed through his body in waves. He bit back the pain, focusing instead on the sizzling heat that was spreading from his pelvis to his bosom, instinctively moving his hips so that he could feel Host thrusting in and out of him, though the writer was currently too overwhelmed to even speak.

Host felt like he'd had all the air knocked out of him- woozy and dizzy in his head, his fists clenched on both the headboard and Robbie's waist as the zombie fucked himself on Host's cock. His mind was whirring foggily, his vision black, his hips reflexively bucking forward and burying himself further inside Robbie's soft, cool flesh. Robbie was taking all of it now- much more than the three inches he'd managed earlier, and Host wanted to tell him how proud he was, but found himself tongue tied by his curse.

"The Host was inundated with the sensation of Robbie's walls surrounding him as his hips drove his sex further inside, his skin starting to tingle and flush deeply as Robbie reached to tangle his fingers in The Host's hair," Host mumbled through his gasping and grunting, feeling Robbie draw himself closer into Host's body heat, wrapping his legs around the older ego's tentatively.

Robbie tugged at the strands of blonde and black hair that he'd grabbed in fistfuls, trying to bring Host closer to him, getting high on the heat Host provided for him as he finally felt his knees relax, the tension melting away. He felt Host's lips on his chin, exposing his neck as he felt the affectionate kisses start to trail down, losing his fingers in Host's tangled locks as the thrusts kept on coming.

Host was holding back. As much as Robbie loved this new sensation, he could feel it in the way Host's legs shuddered, his feet digging into the mattress to stop himself from going too fast- he may have finally relaxed himself, but his partner was still far too tense to be enjoying himself like this. 

Robbie gyrated harder, the knot in his lower abdomen feeling pressured as Host's lips found their way to his breast, nipping and sucking softly at little patches of skin before meeting the zombie's mouth again, getting lost in the passionate embrace. The thrusting slowed, until it was only a gentle push against Robbie's muscles, but the zombie wasn't ready for this to end yet.

He broke the kiss, panting heavily as his legs started to slide from their position on Host's lower back. He was pleased to find that Host was almost equally as breathless as he was- Robbie had been a little insecure knowing that Host had done this before, but he was pleasantly surprised to find that they seemed to be having a much similar experience here. Host's skin was warm and soft and slightly clammy as he leaned forward, slipping ever so slowly from Robbie's behind so that he could kiss the zombie's forehead. Blood dripped from his eyes to fall and soak into the bandages that were coming undone slowly but surely, though Robbie no longer cared if the rest of his experience was inundated with sights and smells.

He was sure that Host's scent was all over him at this point, anyway.

Host breathed heavily, his exhales heating Robbie's cheeks as the younger ego kissed him again, then again, eventually finding his way back down to the mattress. His skull hit the headboard softly, causing him to let out a little whimper he'd been holding in ever since Host pulled out, but the sharp gasp Host made sounded much more worried than it needed to be.

Host cupped Robbie's face, concerned. "The Host asks if that was too much for Robbie to handle at once,"

Robbie felt a little guilty, sensing that Host felt ashamed of how he'd reacted- but surely he understood that Robbie had wanted everything that had happened between them just now, from the kisses to the touches, to the collision of their bodies in time. He kissed Host briefly in reassurance, mumbling his words with a hint of exhaustion.

"Was... good..." Robbie uttered breathlessly. He felt Host smile against his lips.

"The Host is glad to hear it," Host sighed in relief, resting their heads together softly. It was almost as if he was out of stamina, but Robbie knew him better than that- he was only pretending so that Robbie would feel less troubled about feeling tired.

Robbie shivered at the gradual cold, craving Host's warmth inside him again. He bucked his hips feebly, but he knew that Host was taking this time to rest with him. As if in affirmation, Host chuckled softly, lacing his fingers with Robbie's and laying their hands to the side.

"The Host wants Robbie to know how proud he is of him," Host mumbled to him, pressing little kisses to Robbie's jaw. "Taking all that stimulation at once... The Host is astounded at how well he has managed himself,"

Robbie grinned in response, holding Host closer and letting the older man suckle softly on the skin of his neck. Even if he was holding out for more of what Host could do to him, he could never turn down the ticklish feathery feeling of Host's teasing lips on his sensitive areas.

Robbie groaned in a sudden burst of arousal, tensing as Host found one of his sweet spots, and shifted his hips again on instinct.

Host let his hands roam Robbie's pale figure, slowly sitting up again on the spot. His dick came to rest on Robbie's groin, but Host wasn't so sure of what to do next. Obviously, he wanted reprieve- but he didn't want to push his already tired partner for another bout of rough, missionary-style sex if the zombie wasn't ready.

But Robbie reached down, grabbing hold of the offending organ and observing how it felt in his palm- slick with lube and pulsing with heat, and Robbie couldn't help but glide his fingers along the shaft, not even noticing how it was affecting Host until he tried to guide the older ego's cock into his opening again.

Host sighed reluctantly, moving his hips back despite all of his instincts telling him to rut forward. He couldn't do this- not unless he was sure Robbie wanted it. He'd been straining so hard before to keep from hurting his lover, and he didn't know if he could handle it much longer. He was only a man, after all- an intelligent, intuitive man but a man nonetheless. 

"The Host questions if Robbie is really up for a second round," Host panted, not even having realised that he was getting so worked up again. "The Host does not want to push this too fast,"

"Want... more..." Robbie insisted, seemingly invigorated with new energy at the idea of this continuing. He stroked Host softly, the smooth hardness of his cock being like nothing Robbie had ever known. If Host had denied him further intercourse, he might have been content to sit here and admire it just a little longer.

But he couldn't wait for Host to be inside him again- it had felt so wonderfully hot and intimate, and the shivering sweats that were breaking out on his cool skin were only telling of the marvellous sensations sweeping through his bones.

Host gave Robbie another kiss, lips trembling with anticipation as the zombie felt pressure against his lower half, rocking slowly into the pink flesh that was teasing his hole.

Robbie's toes curled instinctively and his head fell limp against the headboard again as Host thrust in again, just a little rougher- and Robbie almost melted at the searing heat.

 _"More..."_  Robbie moaned, letting Host's movements shape the path of his rhythmic rocks and shuffles. He was almost in the man's lap at this point, with his back shoved gently against the headboard of the bed, holding Host's hair in fistfuls. He was overcome with an intense prickling sensation that spurred from his head to his toes as Host quickened his pace ever so slightly, the little grunts emanating from his lips falling softly onto Robbie's collar. He could feel their chests bumping each time Host thrusted, but Robbie needed more.

 _"Harder..."_  Robbie hissed, feeling his back hit the wall with more intensity, not sparing the energy to wonder if the others could hear what was happening. Host seemed to have finally gotten the message that Robbie knew what he wanted, and so the thrusts became deeper, stronger, the bandages that had held for so long finally unravelling and slipping just enough for Robbie to see the intense expression on his lover's face. Eyes closed and still leaking, his lids a deep purple as his teeth gritted together, eyebrows furrowed, flushed and warm and  _beautiful_.

The Void seemed to stutter and give way around Robbie as he cried out, his body writhing and his hips bucking, falling apart in Host's arms. His mind was foggy, his eyes dazed, his body still jolting in time with Host's though he was hardly conscious- and Host kept going, hands keeping Robbie from falling, slamming them both into the wall with all he had.

Robbie loved it. This feeling, this fulfilled and happy sensation crawling through his bones... he was definitely tired out now. But he wouldn't dare think of sleeping while his body was spasming, limbs jolting, the rough sex giving him pleasure even after he'd burned himself out. His skin was on fire, his legs scalding, his lips tingling with the taste of salt and blood as Host grunted out a slew of incoherent sentences, not even caring who was listening.

"The Host... inundated with pleasure... slows his pace as he reaches... his breaking point...  _nggh_...  _R... Robbie_..."

An explosion of heat erupted inside Robbie and he let out a deep, shuddering moan as Host's thrusts became few and far between, riding out the last of his arousal while warmth spread all through Robbie's muscles and across his skin. This... Jackie and Chase be damned, Robbie was going to do this every night...

He felt himself dropping to the bed, colliding softly with Host's sweaty body as the last one still standing collapsed at the knees. The mattress shuddered under their weight and bounced in little waves for a few moments, jostling the two lovers together as they panted out their stimulation, resting after what Robbie would consider the best ride of his life.

Literally?

"The Host... forgot to ask," Host breathed shakily, caressing Robbie's cheek as he removed the blindfold that was now hanging limply from one ear. "If... Robbie was okay with... that..."

"Of... course..." Robbie replied, smiling through his dizzy haze. "Was... amazing..."

"Even... the rough parts, Host questions," Host muttered, looking a bit guilty.

Robbie rolled his eyes softly, leaning in and kissing Host sweetly on his spent lips. "Like... it... rough..."

Host chuckled tiredly, feeling around briefly for the sheet's end before tucking it over them, holding Robbie close to his heart.

"The Host should be more surprised," Host smiled, nuzzling just that little bit closer. "But anyone that witnessed what just occurred would see it,"

Robbie smiled again, eyelids fluttering closed. Before he fell asleep, Host nudged him gently on the shoulder, wondering how it had come to be that they were so rough in bed, but so soft in all their other embraces... No matter. Host wouldn't trade what he had with Robbie for the world, and there was no point in questioning it.

"The Host loves Robbie very much," Host reminded, pressing a gentle kiss to Robbie's shoulder when the zombie hummed in agreement.

"Love... you... too..."


	19. Chapter 18

**~Void~**

"W-with me?" Bim squeaked, looking frantically at the others before clearing his throat. "I- I mean, aren't you meant to do this to p-people who aren't together?"

_Smooth, Trimmer. Smooth._

King's posture seemed to echo his thoughts perfectly as he stood, dragging the younger ego up with him as they were linked by the hand. King wore a mask of indifference, but Bim could tell that as soon as they got to the damn wardrobe, he'd be in for a bout of teasing.

Halter laughed at the pair, probably thinking that Bim was just joking around when he'd acted so surprised, but next to him, Yan was catching on. Bim's brother sent him a sly wink as he retreated, and he wasn't entirely sure if Yan meant it like "I know what's up" or "yes, get some"- he decided neither were really good options.

He shuddered as he made his way into the wardrobe, King following him and closing the doors behind him. This structure must have been summoned by Halter- Septiplier didn't summon things, and the others had already had a few drinks. Well, except for Yan, Bim supposed- but Yan wouldn't make the inside of this thing have faded lemon colouring on the back of the mirrors- Was that a British thing?

Regardless, another dead giveaway was that the wardrobe was about three feet taller than Bim was.

"Smooth," King whispered with a smirk, folding his arms despite the small enclosed space. " _Real_  smooth,"

"Well how was I supposed to react? I'm not an actor!" Bim hissed under his breath, knowing that everyone in the room was probably listening in on the conversation.

"You could've at least pretended you want to be in here," King stated sarcastically. "Now- ah, Molly!"

Before Bim could question what was happening, he became aware of little rodent feet scampering up his leg. His eyes widened, reaching down to brush the squirrel away- where did it come from?!- when King stopped him.

"Shh, Molly, it's okay," King cooed softly, picking up the terrified-looking squirrel and holding her close to him like it was his child.

Bim looked between them, confused and horrified. "How... but... huh?"

"Well I couldn't let them be crushed in the manor," King said as if it were obvious, holding out an arm. To Bim's surprise (and mild terror), he was greeted with around eight pairs of glimmering eyes, staring back at him from within the folds of the sleeve.

"But... in your robe?"

"It's like a clown car," King advised, letting Molly scamper up his sleeve to join the others. "Don't question it- now before Molly interrupted us, I was going to say-"

"Oh, hell no," Bim interceded, crossing his arms as well and hitting an elbow on the side of the wardrobe-  _ouch_. "You're not gonna do this with squirrels in your damn robe, are you?"

"Look, Bim, we don't have to  _do_  anything," King whispered pointedly, before raising his voice. "I mean, you know my branding,"

Bim was puzzled for a moment before he realised that King was playing it up for the listeners outside. His shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Fine..." he sighed, half acting and half serious. The antics of this one... sometimes, he wondered why they were even friends in the first place.

King smiled. "Good. Now..."

Bim tensed as he noticed King approaching him, their limbs already squashed in this damn wardrobe without the added pressure of moving forward. King's hand trailed across Bim's cheek, causing the show host's breath to catch in his throat- but not because he liked it or anything. That was absurd. He didn't like the way King smirked as he teased him tauntingly, or how his thigh had accidentally brushed Bim's leg, or how his skin shivered and tingled in anticipation...

He was bright red by the time King stopped the touches, and he wanted nothing more than to hide in this wardrobe until everyone else fell asleep- but King was prodding him gently in the shoulder, trying to get a rise out of him, and Bim was worried there'd be a different kind of rise happening if he didn't lay off.

This was normal... right? Wilford had always turned him on, and King looked just like him- save for the fact that King had no facial hair and was covered in peanut butter, that is. For some reason, the image of a naked, sweaty King was invading his mind, cleanly shaven and glistening with sweat... but he shook it away furiously. No. Not today.

"You really need to get laid," King snorted under his breath, apparently having noticed just how his touch was driving Bim wild. "But I guess that works in our favour- did you even notice how worked up you were just getting?"

Bim flushed brighter, feeling the heat radiating from his cheeks as his fears were realised- King knew he was secretly enjoying this attention, no matter how the idea should have put him off. "N-no..." he stuttered out, feeling like that was the safest answer, though he definitely knew this proximity was making him unnecessarily aroused.

King glanced at the door, curious, before turning back to face Bim, a telling glint in his eye. Bim swallowed nervously.

"Don't hate me for this," King sighed, and Bim had but a moment to look surprised before his lips parted in an audible sigh, shivering with pent up tension as King's hand trailed across the raised tent in his trousers.

"K-King..." Bim uttered, feeling a little embarrassed at how needy he sounded. "What are you doing?"

"Giving them a show," King replied, giving Bim a little squeeze. "You're... okay with this, right? I mean, I'm not gonna take it any further, you're just a really shitty actor and I needed this to sound genuine,"

Bim laughed ironically under his breath, still half scared that the others would hear him. "Y-yeah, it's genuine alright... Jesus, King..."

Why wasn't he pushing him away? This wasn't something friends did together- but then why did it feel so good?

_Because it's a hand on your dick, Bim, of course it's going to feel good. It doesn't matter whose hand it is._

That's what he told himself, anyway, when King leaned in and smeared some peanut butter along his neck. "Just... hold on a sec,"

Bim didn't know why he closed his eyes, but the lips that found their way to his neck were soft and sticky and  _fuck_ , how far was King willing to go to make this believable?

Before it got too serious, there was a knock on the closet door. Thankfully, they were still fully clothed, as the one who had interrupted them flung the doors open wide.

It was Yan, and the smug smirk he wore quickly fell to a surprised frown.

"... Huh," Yan said simply, blinking at the pair curiously.

King raised an eyebrow, pulling away from Bim's neck, where a decent few developing hickeys were visible. "What?"

"Oh, nothing..." Yan smirked again, turning and walking back to sit with his boyfriend once more. Even Marvin looked a little surprised that they'd appeared in this state- wasn't this what they'd expected when seven minutes in heaven was suggested? 

"It's just... nobody's seen you two actually kiss before, we were all wondering if it was just a joke, but... wow, those are really something," Yan whistled, shooting both his brothers a thumbs up. Bim, if possible, reddened even further.

Bim didn't want to be here right now. Not with his hand clasped in King's, his shirt unbuttoned to his chest, his hair falling into his face- especially not with hickeys and peanut butter covering his skin, and  _definitely_  not while he was aroused.

He shot King a meaningful look. "I... I've got to go to the bathroom,"

"Wait for me," King replied with a cheeky grin, winking at the others suggestively as Bim vacated the room with lightning speed.

Why was he doing this? Why was he running from them, when they wouldn't have thought twice about a couple coming out of that wardrobe with a few hickeys? He knew he was only making it worse for himself, but damned if he cared as he slammed the door behind him, breathing heavily.

"Bim?"

"I'm  _busy_ ," Bim grunted through his teeth, trying to ignore how the seam of his trousers was digging further into his skin. 

"Look, just let me in-"

"No," Bim replied, gulping down the thought that had sprung to mind. No, no- they weren't actually together, they shouldn't be doing this, he shouldn't even be contemplating it...

"I can  _help_ -" King argued quietly, not wanting anyone to hear their disagreement. "Look, I'm sorry- that was uncalled for,"

"You think?" Bim hissed, knowing that this conversation was going to have to end soon. There was no way his dick was going to go back to sleep after what had just happened, and he'd rather get this over with before it got too out of hand.

Pun  _slightly_ intended.

"But, look- we're friends, right? We trust each other, and I can help you out, just-"

Bim shouldn't have opened the door. He should've said no- he should've just ignored King, because now he was standing in the doorway looking like a damn lost puppy, and how could Bim say no to those eyes?

King was there, meeting his eyes worriedly and then he was looking down, and  _oh, fuck_ , Bim had never let anyone but Wilford see him like this, and he didn't know how King was going to react.

_Like he can really judge you though, he's the one that started it._

Bim swallowed nervously, fingers twitching a little as the arousal buried in his gut started to flare. "Just... just get in here so I can close the door,"

King hurriedly rushed inside, letting the door close softly behind them, looking at Bim with a curious expression. 

"Do you want my help or not?"

"W-what do you  _mean_?" Bim stuttered out, knowing exactly what King was suggesting, but not wanting to believe it. When they'd started fake dating, Bim had never thought they'd have to do much more than hold hands for a while- but this? This felt wrong, and perverted, and... not  _right_.

"You know," King sighed, nodding his head downwards. "I mean, I started it- the least I can do is finish it,"

"You want to get me off?" Bim groaned, hands in his hair. "That's... that's weird, King,"

King raised an eyebrow. "You get off with Wilford all the time, why am I any different?"

Bim flushed deeply. "I don't- no, it's- but you- ugh, it's just... not the same, King,"

"Is it because of your feelings for him?" King pressed, and Bim knew he wasn't really offended, but he felt he needed to clarify yet again that he and Wilford had nothing more than a sexual relationship. It didn't matter that he still thought of Wilford whenever his mind jumped to romance, or that he imagined the man visiting him in his less-PG dreams, or that each and every time he was faced with Wilford's mention he'd blush and change the topic.

"I don't-" Bim started, but King interrupted him with a steely glare.

"If you don't have feelings for him, you shouldn't be reacting this way. If it's just friends helping out friends, me doing this would be fine- but you don't want that. Why?"

Bim tugged at his hair again in frustration. "It's not... It's not that I have feelings for him, King, but... I don't know. I guess it's because I... you're my friend, King, I don't want to wreck what we've already-"

King, much to Bim's surprise, chuckled aloud. "Oh, that's not it. I know it," King challenged. "Why don't you want to be intimate with me, Bim? There's something here you're not telling me and if you really don't have feelings for Wilford, then you'll let me know what's bothering you,"

"Right now what's bothering me is the fact that I got hard for my best friend," Bim muttered aloud. "It isn't a good feeling, you know?"

"And?" King replied, rolling his eyes. "Look, we all get hard for dumb reasons sometimes, Bim, I'm not judging you. I literally tried to get you to make suggestive noises- it's my fault."

Bim sighed. "I know it's  _your_  fault, that isn't the problem, Squirrels. The problem is that I have to deal with it and now you're here, and we can't... we just can't, okay?"

"If you really don't want to, we don't have to," King started. "But I'm just saying- we've got the same physiology, and if I had a chub like that, I'd take all the help I could get,"

Bim flushed even deeper, resting his head in his hands. He hated that they were essentially the same person- that King knew all of his little quirks and habits because they were shared between them, and that King knew way more about his body than he might have liked, but there was nothing he could do about it now. His mind was split on this matter- on one hand, this was Squirrels. Bim's trusted and close friend, possibly his closest in this manor- he couldn't take advantage of that.

But on the other, King had been asking for it the second he'd deliberately attempted to turn Bim on.

Bim sighed in frustration, not meeting King's eyes. "You... you're sure it's not going to be weird?"

"If you managed to fuck Wilford for this many years without it being weird, I'm sure you'll be fine," King snorted. How was he being so flippant about this? "That reminds me- you're clean, right?"

"I don't... I can't get diseases, King, I'm an ego," Bim grimaced. "Just... just hurry up if you're doing this, okay?"

"Okay," King agreed, fingertips trailing down Bim's messy shirt. "I just had to make sure- I mean, Dark's managed to get pregnant, so maybe we're in more danger of diseases than we'd thought,"

Bim shuddered, and he tried to tell himself it was because of the thought of carrying an STI, and definitely  _not_  because King was hitching up his shirt, his slightly sticky fingers catching on Bim's stomach.

An unzipping sound filled the air, and not another word was spoken.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Anti stared down at the Scrabble board with a mixture of contempt and longing in his heart. He'd played this game a lot when he was younger- with Dark and Wilford, of course. He'd even played a number of games with the other egos, before he'd moved away and out of their lives. His memories were half sweet and half sour, and he looked at the arrangement of letters in his bar with mild distaste.

He was no expert, but even he could tell that this many 'E's was excessive.

He looked up to see his fellow egos, all sitting around and just... relaxing. Anti had never seen them so quiet- well, it may have had everything to do with the fact that King, Bim, Jackie, Marvin, Yan, Clint, Tommy, Silver, Ed and the fusions were away. Anti had found that those were the ones that made the most noise and uproar, anyhow.

But here he had the ones he was most comfortable with- his friends. Schneep was here, playing Scrabble with him- but he was in a team with his husband-to-be, Dr. Iplier. They were, in short, whooping his ass- but Anti knew better than to let himself be upset over such a small thing now. In the past, he may have had a fit because of the blatant cheating.

But now? Why would he give himself more to worry about, when he was already having a breakdown? When Dark was dying, and his baby was in another plane of existence, and he had a puddle of guilt hardening in his gut that he couldn't seem to shake... yes, he definitely had bigger fish to fry. It wasn't like he could have beaten either of them if they weren't paired up, anyway- they were much smarter than he was, in his opinion.

Next to the engaged couple were Bing and Chase- and Google was here too, and he was the one actually engaging with the Scrabble board, but Anti had known Google for ages. He hadn't really changed since they'd been introduced- still as stoic and unmoving as ever. Bing and Chase, however, were new to him- though he'd heard of Bing in the fights he'd had with Dark in the past, he'd never actually seen the ego until that day on the battlefield.

Bing and Chase weren't much for Scrabble, apparently- Anti had offered, but they seemed content to sit down and talk, which... Anti could appreciate. It was one of the things that some part of him wished he could be doing right now with his lover, but thinking about Dark brought him a measure of pain when he realised that they still hadn't discussed what had happened with Jameson. When he realised that Dark had admitted to sleeping with Wilford all those years ago. When he thought of his daughter, growing up without him in the Groundlands, with his traitorous original...

Anti felt his eyes prickling, but he was determined not to cry as he rearranged his letters, trying to come up with a decent word to play. The effort on both fronts was futile- he had a slew of one-point letters and most of the board was taken up at this point, and the tears slowly began to fall despite himself.

But nobody said anything about it, and Anti felt... validated, somehow. Like it was normal for him to cry. Like sadness and anger and fear were completely acceptable emotions for him to be feeling right now...

Jameson was here too- snoozing on the loveseat Anti had summoned when he realised that his one sofa wasn't going to be enough to seat everyone. Though he'd quickly realised that everyone was either some kind of enemy to him or they loved to sit on the ground, so it hadn't had much of a use until Jameson had grown tired of their conversation, curling up under a blanket that Schneep had summoned.

Either way, he was here, and he was at peace. Anti only wished he could make peace with himself that easily- he knew Jameson had forgiven him for participating in their act of indecency- hell, even Dark had forgiven him, though he wasn't in much of a state to think straight at the time. But how could Anti forgive himself for this? He was the one that had torn this relationship apart, not Dark...

Anti sighed, clearing his mind as he added the word 'EERIE' to the board. Longing to change the past wasn't very productive, even  _he_ knew that.

"Nice vone," Schneep commented. "Ah- have ze Jims returned yet?"

"No, I've got no idea where they've gone," Dr. Iplier sighed. "Probably off to visit the others. What about Host and Robbie- are they still upstairs?"

"Yeah," Anti replied, glancing at the ceiling. He knew all too well what kind of 'privacy' Host had wanted when he'd asked Anti to install the thermostat earlier- and Anti hadn't really felt good about keeping their secret until he realised that pretty much everyone but Chase and Bing were already in the know. It wasn't that he had anything against them or their being together, he just didn't feel the need to be held accountable for anything else right now.

Anti snorted as he counted up his total. "Nice one? I got seven points from that shit, you guys got sixty-eight from 'QUESTION',"

"Vell, ve are intellectuals," Schneep smirked, nudging his partner in the side.

Anti rolled his eyes, a rare smile gracing his features. "Yeah, that or you guys got all the high-scoring letters..."

Dr. Iplier chuckled under his breath as he gestured at the tiles he shared with his fiance. "I do believe you're rather salty today, Anti,"

"Always," Anti smirked. It was kind of nice to be here with everyone, not worrying about Dark or their relationship- not worrying about offending his older brothers, or the less-forgiving Ipliers. To just have some time to himself, where he wasn't obligated to start conversation or to stay out of the way. Where his interactions were really... him.

He'd missed this.

"I hate to admit that you're kicking my ass right now," Anti sighed, checking the score sheet over. "Google's 112 points ahead of me and you're 23 points ahead of him... And all I have is an 'R',"

Google looked at the gathering of egos with expressionless, bored eyes. Something seemed to be jarring him, but Anti couldn't determine what. He wondered briefly if it was due to the fact that Xyler had left without him- he seemed to recall that Google was on his way out when the manor had collapsed. Perhaps they'd been planning something together, though Anti certainly had enough to worry about without wondering what it was. 

"I grow tired of this unstimulating game..."

"Zat is because you are using ze internet, Google," Schneep pointed out. "Your turns are over vithin seconds,"

Google glared at the doctor like his robotic mother had just been insulted. He looked weary and frustrated, his eyelids twitching as his gaze burned into Anti's brother. "Well I can't just disconnect from the internet, now can I?"

Dr. Iplier rolled his eyes, not the least bit concerned about his android brother's attitude. "Wow, what crawled inside you and died?"

"My will to live," Google sneered. "You all expect me to be a model human- but I'm a machine, and that fact hasn't changed."

Bing placed a reassuring hand on the android's shoulder, his eyes flashing in sympathy.

"Google's having a hard time transitioning," Bing supplied to the rest of the egos. "Dude- calm down, I'm not judging you. I think... I think it's really brave of you to try deviating like this,"

Google buried his head in his hands, drawing his knees close to his chest. "This isn't bravery. This is idiocy. This is choosing weakness and futility over power and prosperity. This is... the opposite of human nature."

"Weakness  _is_ normal," Chase scoffed, rolling his eyes as he clapped Google on the back. "Come on Googs, live a little. What game do you want to play?"

"I do not want to  _play_  anything," Google huffed. "I am only here because Anti requested it of me,"

Anti had been silent for the duration of this conversation, firmly believing it wasn't his place to tell Google what he could and couldn't be- but at the mention of his name, he decided he may as well embrace the chance to speak his mind.

"Yeah, I invited you because we used to play together," Anti explained. "I don't... I don't think you should push yourself, Google. I mean, I didn't even know you could even get stressed but here we are,"

Google eyed the glitch warily, as if he didn't quite trust him. "You knew I was more likely to beat you... but you invited me anyway?"

"Yeah, it's not about winning," Anti shrugged. "It's about the experience. Have you seen the company we used to keep playing these games? You had internet access, Host commentated the entire game, and Dark can read minds, Google- I don't care that you cheat with the internet. I care that you're still here after what happened in May. All of my friends may be cheaters but at least they're my friends..."

Schneep chuckled softly. "Zat sounds like something zat Dark vould say- always living in ze moment, zat vone,"

Anti couldn't help the slump of his shoulders as Dark was brought back into his mind again. "Yeah... sounds about right,"

"Was ist los?" Schneep questioned, reaching out to touch Anti's shoulder. "Vhat is ze matter?"

"It's just..." Anti sighed, fiddling with his one remaining letter somewhat guiltily. "We haven't... we haven't talked about what happened. I get that he's forgiven me- but that's... that's not the point. I need to talk to him. I need... I need to spend some damn time with him that's not taken up by shouting or fucking, you know?"

The doctor nodded in agreement. "Ja, communication ist very healthy. Have you tried contacting ihn since?"

"I... I don't know how to possess Jack without... without hurting myself," Anti muttered, glancing around nervously. The others hadn't really known about his self-harming habits, even when they were fighting all those weeks ago- but it didn't seem that they were going to judge him for it. Considering it was Chase, two robots, a sleeping mute and a pair of very understanding medical professionals... well, Anti felt they didn't have much desire to judge anyway. "I mean- yeah, I did it yesterday, but... but you guided me, and..."

Schneep patted him softly again. "Zere zere- perhaps in ze Morgen ve vill try it again- Ich bin sure zat er ist also vorried about ze both of you..."

Anti bit his lip as he nodded, letting the scrabble board vanish as they had finally finished with it. "Now what else do you guys want to do?"

"Well, it's getting to be quite late, but egos don't necessarily  _need_  sleep," Dr. Iplier yawned. "I wonder what they're up to in Halter's place..."

"Probably sucking each other's dicks," Anti muttered, rolling his eyes in distaste. "I think I caught something about truth or dare when I brought Septiplier over- but I've never played it before,"

"Truth or dare sounds lit," Chase piped up, causing everyone in the room to send him a mild glance of disapproval.

"Dank truths," Bing chuckled, trying to lessen the shame that was being cast on his lover. "I'm up for a game if you want,"

"No, that would be copying," Anti interjected. "Besides- we're not as giggly and young as they are. We've all seen some shit. Except maybe you," Anti added as an afterthought, looking at Bing.

The android in question shrugged. "I'm cool with whatever, man,"

"Well, how about Monopo-"

" _No_ ," Anti and Chase spoke in unison, cutting Dr. Iplier off. Anti had once made the mistake of letting Wilford drag him into a heated game of Monopoly, in which Anti witnessed probably his biggest near-death experience. Yan had been there, threatening Wilford with a knife, and Wilford had his gun out (but when didn't he, really?). Even Dark seemed more frustrated and dangerous in that setting- and Anti didn't feel like receiving medical death threats tonight.

"You two just got engaged, you don't want to ruin your relationship before it begins," Chase shuddered. Anti supposed that he must have had some bad memories with the game as well.

"Screw the board games," Anti yawned, just wanting to be able to go to sleep. He was growing tired of all of these distractions, anyhow- if he wasn't worried about his house collapsing, he'd have gone to bed long ago.

"What about-"

There was a thumping noise, and everyone turned their heads to see Host stumbling blindly down the stairs, having hit a wall in effort to catch himself. Anti could see he wasn't wearing a blindfold- he'd never actually seen Host's eyes before, but the image was hardly pretty. He looked rather messy, less composed than usual, with his trench coat draped over him and buttoned over his chest- not even wearing any shoes.

Anti smirked a little as Dr. Iplier stood to help him. His 'private time' with Robbie must have finally come to a close.

"Host- stop, you'll hurt yourself," Dr. Iplier sighed aloud, grabbing Host by the arm and steadying him. Host looked a little out of sorts, blinking, blood running from his eyes to his chin. Come to think of it, he looked like he had blood smears all over the place... just how kinky had that situation managed to get?

"The Host is guided by Dr. Iplier to the kitchen sink, where he allows the doctor to wash his skin free of blood," Host muttered as he was led to Anti's kitchenette, leaning against a counter as Dr. Iplier summoned a wet rag.

Dr. Iplier tsked at him, looking him up and down disapprovingly. "You didn't get it all over him, did you? Where is he, anyway?"

Host smiled briefly, though Anti could say for certain that it was much less unnerving with the blindfold. "The Host tells Dr. Iplier that Robbie is asleep upstairs- The Host would have cleaned him, but in his current state The Host was... not efficient,"

"Yeah, I see why," Dr. Iplier snorted under his breath. "Did you two use a water based-"

"Ja," Schneep interceded, calling out from his place in the living area. "I supplied zhem vith some,"

Anti didn't know how Schneep managed to look so calm- especially considering that Dr. Iplier and Host- or, Author as he was called then- were in a long-lasting committed relationship that only ended a few months prior to Schneep's arrival in the Void. He didn't doubt that Dr. Iplier was faithful, but Schneep didn't seem bothered at all by the fact that they were still so close.

Why couldn't Anti act the same around Wilford?

Ever since he'd learned that Dark and Wilford had been involved, he'd been reading much too far into the interactions of his past. Putting pieces together, rethinking the flirtatious jokes and advances, realising that Wilford had been entirely serious that night when he offered to suck Dark off after having a few drinks. How many times had Dark and Wilford hooked up behind Anti's back?

Dr. Iplier nodded. "Good- I swear, if only we had Henrik when we were younger, huh? We could've avoided so many problems..."

Host smiled a little as if he was reminiscing. "The Host agrees- though The Host knows that if Dr. Schneeplestein had been around at the time, Dr. Iplier wouldn't have bothered with The Host at all,"

"Hey," Dr. Iplier returned playfully. "I wouldn't have dumped you just because some other doctor walked in,"

"The Host is glad, however, that the eventual split was mutual," Host mused, smiling as fresh bandages were wrapped gently around his eyes. His movements relaxed a little, but he was still absolutely covered in blood, and Anti had a feeling there was much more hidden under his coat.

Bing sputtered and choked on the thin air- he'd been so quiet that Anti had almost forgotten he was there. "Wait, what?! I didn't know you two were together!"

"It was a long time ago," Anti explained, jumping in before the doctor could. "Long before you were born, anyhow. They split up sometime after Google arrived- I'd already moved out, but it was before... before Jackie arrived. Sometime around there. But yeah, they dated for about a year,"

"Well, we really had no way of telling the time," Dr. Iplier shrugged. "Could've been longer. But it doesn't matter now- we're both taken men, and we both have amazing, lovely partners we'd die for in a heartbeat,"

Schneep smiled from his place on the ground, a faint blush tinging his cheeks as he met Anti's knowing gaze. The glitch smirked.

"You've got it bad," Anti teased.

Schneep laughed. "Zat, I cannot deny. Vhat can I say? Er ist mein Vertlober, after all. I vouldn't marry him if he did not drive me vild,"

"You two just seem so..." Anti started, sighing as he tried to think of the right word. "Put... together? Complete? You know what I mean- you trust each other completely, and you aren't bothered by spending time apart, and when you guys are together it doesn't need to be... a big thing, I guess."

Schneep smiled in return. "Ve have gone through exactly vhat you und Dark are going through, mein Bruder- ve vere not always perfect. Ve have had our fights, und our disagreements. Sometimes, ve have even called it off completely. But fighting... vhile es ist hardly enjoyable, is sometimes necessary to understand vhat ze other is going through. Do not be afraid of ze conflict, Anti- after all, conflicts are made to be resolved,"

"The Host agrees with the doctor, and tells Antithesis that every good literary plot has a conflict,"

"Yeah, if you don't let him know what's bothering you, he'll keep doing it," Chase advised. "Neither of you want that to happen,"

"The general consensus on the top web articles is that arguments are an inevitable part of a new relationship," Google added, trying his best to be reassuring. Anti gave him a warm smile in return. Google was a nice guy- he just didn't know how to convey his thoughts without sounding like a dick. Anti, at least, felt he could sometimes relate.

"Thanks, Google," Anti smiled, feeling a little tingly inside as the others' reassurances and hope rushed through him. "And thank you all, I'm just... a little worried about how this is going to end,"

"Having a kid is never easy," Chase smiled, reaching out to put his hand on Anti's arm. "But damned if it's not worth it. I remember feeling so panicked and anxious the day Stacy went into labor, but... man, seeing Emma's little body and her tiny hands curling around my fingers, her wide eyes... that moment, when you realise it's all happening. It's amazing,"

Anti felt tears prickling at the sides of his eyes, but he didn't bother to wipe them as he looked around, feeling almost suffocated by everyone's love and support. He'd... he'd never felt anything like this before.

"Oh, komm hier," Schneep chuckled, pulling Anti in for a warm hug, wiping away his tears. "You are nervous, Ich weiß es, but it vill all vork out in ze end, Anti. I am sure of it. Vhatever... vhatever may happen to Dark, or to ze child, Ich bin sure zat ve are catastrophising,"

"B-but the cancer," Anti sniffed, burying his head in his brother's coat.

"Er hast had cancer for many jahr, Anti," Schneep confided. "Und er hast lived for zis long already... Es ist right to be cautious, but zis is Dark. I believe zat he vill work through zis, as he has always done."

"Though The Host cannot confirm that Dark is going to remain well, he also wishes to give his best wishes to Antithesis. The Host knows that Dark has survived much worse afflictions than this."

"He's stronger than we doctors give him credit for," Dr. Iplier mused, sending Schneep a meaningful look as he unbuttoned the front of Host's trench coat, wiping some blood from his ex's torso. Schneep didn't even seem bothered by it- but Anti supposed that getting mad about something like that would be kind of petty, and the doctors were anything but.

"Yeah," Anti breathed, his heart surging a little inside. "Yeah, he's... he's a tough son of a bitch,"

"I'll say," Bing agreed. "That reminds me- have you thought of a name yet? Is is a boy or a girl?"

"Whoa," Anti chuckled. "Someone's got baby fever,"

Bing reddened slightly. "Dude, it's not my fault all Chase does is talk about his kids- I've never actually seen one in real life before, I'm excited!"

Anti snorted. Really, Bing was alright- if a little too excitable. "Well, I'm pretty lousy at names, but he's thought of calling her Desiree, after his mother... I didn't even know demons had parents,"

"Dark ist no ordinary demon, mein Bruder," Schneep shrugged. "Zere is a lot zat ve do not know about ihn. If zat Daniel character vas around, perhaps he could shed light on ze subject- but er ist dangerous now,"

Anti shuddered as he remembered what had unfolded between he and Blaze's partner, Daniel. He'd never really liked that demon- Dark had consorted with him for a few matters in the past, but Anti had never come along for the ride. When Blaze had appeared and they'd been friends, Anti had run into him a few times, but he had the feeling Daniel didn't quite trust him with that fire ego.

Well, considering Anti had stabbed that fire ego back in May, he supposed Daniel probably had good reason. But if Anti was honest, he regretted killing Blaze in that moment. He may have set out to bring the man down all those weeks ago, but that was a heat-of-the-moment thing. Before he had Dark. Before he had friends.

Before he had Halter, and Schneep, and all of his family back.

Now, it all seemed so petty and childish. Such a stupid thing to want revenge over. If Anti could go back and rethink his decision to engage in a fight with that fusion, he'd do it in a heartbeat- but it was done, and he had to deal with the consequences.

If Blaze never wanted to be his friend again... well, Anti supposed he had good enough reason.

"That creep isn't welcome here," Anti shivered. "I don't need to know  _that_  desperately, anyway. But Desiree, it's a nice name, huh?"

"It's certainly not your average name," Dr. Iplier agreed. "But not so outlandish as others. I believe it suits the both of you wonderfully,"

"Yeah, we can call her Desi for short," Chase grinned, seemingly excited as Bing was about the new baby. "Oh please,  _please_  can we babysit?"

"I have ze feeling zat Anti von't vant to let her out of his sight for at least a few Wochen," Schneep chuckled. "Er ist rather possessive zis vay,"

"Hey!" Anti retorted, though he knew it was true. He really was possessive around those he loved, and he imagined how he acted around his daughter would be no different. "I... shut up!"

"Very effective," Google smirked, sitting back. He was the only one that seemed not to be majorly affected by the fact that Dark and Anti were expecting, but Anti was just happy he was here. Google met his eyes, giving him a small smile- which considering this was Google, was actually quite a statement indeed.

"The name 'Desiree' means 'desired', or 'wished'," Google supplied, his eyes flashing blue momentarily as he accessed the internet. "It is a fitting name, I feel."

"It's definitely sticking to me," Anti agreed, giving a little sigh as he remembered Dark giving him his own name all those years ago. "It's... a little strange. I almost feel as though I'm too young, too... immature to have a baby, but then... these past few weeks, everything's changed,"

"Vell, if it is any consolation, I feel as though you have matured greatly," Schneep offered. "At least- you have come very far from ze first time I saw you, Anti. I am sure zat if Dark could be here, he vould agree,"

"Really?" Anti breathed. "He would?"

"He'd definitely agree," Dr. Iplier smiled. "I'm terribly sorry, but I have to excuse myself- I imagine Robbie is quite a mess up there as well,"

"Es ist no issue, mein Schatz," Schneep waved him off, "Do not forget to examine ihn for any injuries- I doubt zat ze Host could see vhat he vas doing, despite his good intentions,"

"You're a good man, Schneep," Anti sighed, moving his shoulders a little to stop the stiffness from settling in. They'd been sitting here for hours, just talking and lazing around, as if the Void wasn't falling in on itself.

"What were they even doing up there?" Chase asked, eyes on the ceiling. "That could have gotten blood everywhere, I mean..."

Schneep chuckled under his breath, sharing a knowing glance with Anti and Google. "Vell, I guess you vill have to vait until our Bruder returns from his slumber to find out,"

Chase groaned aloud. "Alright..."

Anti smirked as he imagined Chase's reaction to Robbie finally losing his virginity- though nothing would top Jackie's, he knew. That superhero cared way too much about other people's business, in Anti's opinion. Maybe, he needed a damn love life of his own so that he could stop worrying about everyone else's.

He almost felt sorry for the man.

Almost.

But maybe it was finally time to bury the hatchet between them- this rivalry, this unneeded fear of setting him off... Anti was growing tired of it. He had other things to worry about now.

He didn't even notice that the wound on his neck had ceased bleeding, wiping it mindlessly with a rag as he got to his feet. He needed to take a walk- he only hoped that his earlier prediction of dick-sucking wasn't what was actually happening over there. That would certainly be more awkwardness than Anti was equipped to handle.

He knocked on Halter's door, breathing a little faster than usual. But this needed to be done- it had needed to be done two years ago, really. But Anti was famous for being late to the party.

The door opened.

**~Groundlands~**

Markiplier could have kicked himself for getting out of that taxi when he had- but how was he supposed to know that the very man he was looking for was just a little further down the road, until he'd seen that ridiculous pink hair and mustache combo that couldn't have belonged to anyone else? Then, as if to add insult to injury, his old friend Abe had followed the Colonel out of the bar, and the two had gotten into a cab together.

Was Abe really changing sides like this? Mark thought he'd known the man- thought that he'd never see someone so loyal. He'd thought that any chance of friendship between his cousin and the detective had been dashed away when Abe finally learned the truth, but here they were, eighty-some years later, chatting like old pals over a drink. It made his blood boil

Why did everyone leave him? Was he not good enough? What was he thinking- of course he was good enough! He was the best. If the Colonel hadn't stolen Abe away, Mark was sure he'd be on his side. He had to be... right?

He hadn't a clue where they'd driven to, but he was determined to follow them- to wrangle his answers out of Abe, and to bring the Colonel down after all these years. To find his grandson and put an end to this ridiculous story he was spinning, bringing Mark back to life again after so many years... he wished he could have stayed dead.

No, his namesake had to go. Only then would he have peace. Only then would his spirit finally move on. Only then would he be reunited with Celine, and his mother and father, and even the Colonel's own father, his uncle, in heaven.

Mark gritted his teeth. Any street, any establishment- he'd search high and low. He would find them. He had to.

There was no other way.


	20. Chapter 19

**~Groundlands~**

It had only been a week since Dark found out he was pregnant- but somehow, the news had settled so quickly that waking up to the soft kicks against the edge of his uterus wasn't even worrying him anymore. Though he'd found the experience uncomfortable and even nerve-wracking at first, he'd relaxed into it over time, and now he greeted his hyperactive child with a soft smile, pressing his hand to hers through the thin walls of Dark's womb.

Though he wasn't entirely used to waking up wet and clammy- that was certainly new. Had he sweated through the night? He hadn't thought it was that warm, but apparently he was mistaken. He was just about to sit up when there was a knock on his door, his head swimming a little and aching slightly as he inclined it to one side. It seemed as though in seconds, the room had gotten a lot louder.

"Come in, Amy," Dark yawned, before starting a little as he realised just what had happened. His mind reading, the ability to sense others' presence... it had returned. He was omniscient again.

Were Damien and Celine there, too?

_'I was wondering why nobody could hear us...'_

_ 'At least he can hear us now. That... that scared me more than I'd like to admit,' _

Dark let out a breath of relief, clutching his stomach close. This... this was a good sign. He was getting better. He'd told them he could, hadn't he? He was part demon, he could come back from a fate worse than death- why had he let himself get so worried? Aside from the unpleasant, sweaty, sticky mess he was currently in, he felt right as rain.

... And aside from the fact that his leg was still unresponsive. But Dark had no doubt that it would be better soon, just like the rest of his temporary afflictions that had faded away.

Amy walked in with a tray of cereal and milk, closing the door behind her as she took in Dark's appearance with a small frown.

"You look like you had a rough night," she told him, sitting beside him on the bed. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Never better," Dark smiled, taking the food gratefully. "Thank you, Amy."

"Well, you certainly sound like you're recovering," Amy breathed in relief, though she still looked a little worried. "But I'm not sure it's meant to happen this quickly- anyway, it's good that you're feeling better. I have a feeling we're going to have to run you a bath today,"

Dark raised an eyebrow. "A bath?"

Truthfully, Dark hadn't had a bath in what felt like years. He'd been far too stressed with the appearances of new egos, and dealing with Anti's emotional struggles, and making sure that nobody ripped each other's heads off... he usually only showered, and even that was when he noticeably started to smell.

He licked his lips nervously. "A bath sounds... nice,"

Dark had concerns that he didn't really want to vocalise just yet, in case they seemed ridiculous. He was never quite sure when he abstained from something for so long, if the memories were going to be just as unpleasant when he was forced to relive them. He vaguely remembered a time where he'd almost drowned in Mark and William's swimming pool as a child, having to be saved by William's late father. Though it wasn't him at all- it was Damien. Sometimes the lines blurred a little too much between them, Dark had noticed...

"Okay, eat your breakfast," Amy urged, setting the tray down next to Dark and standing up. "I'll go run one now- do you want me to be there with you?"

Dark let out a small sigh of relief, letting his irrational fears of being completely submerged in water be swallowed down. "You wouldn't mind?"

He'd been more than slightly afraid of drowning in the tub without anyone there to help him out. He hated how paranoid this monoplegia was making him, and wished that it could all be over- but there wasn't much point in complaining about it now. Until he found a way to make it work again, he'd have to live with only having three functioning limbs. He guessed it could always be worse.

Amy smiled warmly at him. "Of course I wouldn't mind- in fact, I insist. I don't want you to hurt yourself, I just didn't want it to be weird,"

Dark chuckled softly, closing his eyes, though he didn't have such a strong need to sleep today. "I think we're past the point of it being weird, truly,"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Amy smirked. "I'll text Seán and tell him you're getting better- maybe he'll swing by later on,"

Dark cocked his head to one side. "Where is it that he has gone?"

"He went out with Robin today," Amy explained. "You know, catching up with old friends- but don't worry about taking up his time, because he didn't want to leave you here for long anyway- he cares about your safety, and even though he's terrible at conveying it, so does Mark,"

Dark nodded begrudgingly. "Yes, I know... He inherited his stubborn streak from me, so I must sympathise..."

Amy chucked. "That's true. Now finish your food- we've got a big day planned, and I wanted to get your input on a few things,"

Dark didn't really have any idea what Amy was talking about, but he felt like he shouldn't pry- not that he really could, as she left the room fairly swiftly upon finishing her sentence. Dark resigned himself to sit and wonder, picking up his chunks of cereal and swirling them around thoughtfully with his spoon.

The child seemed to shiver at the chill of the bowl as Dark rested it on his tummy, smiling when her little bumps and kicks caused ripples in the milk. He patted the other side of his stomach, hoping that she would find her way over, but she seemed rather interested in investigating the sudden temperature change. The bowl wobbled slightly but Dark caught it, chuckling softly at her antics. She really was Anti's child...

She seemed to echo his laughter, the sound echoing in his mind as he ate, not knowing how hungry he really was until he'd started. Damien and Celine, who had been rather quiet these past few days, started talking again. But this time, Dark felt it wasn't directed at him...

_'You're beautiful, darling... such a sweet little angel,'_

_ 'Can you hear us, Desiree? You're a strong little girl, aren't you?' _

Dark felt happiness swelling inside him, the little thumps growing more frequent as the siblings continued to coo and laugh with his baby. Damien sounded ecstatic- in awe, and delighted, and Dark felt the second-hand excitement coursing through him with every one of his little messages of praise. Even Celine, who had been wary of having this child at first, seemed to be warming up to her- giving Damien encouragement, sending her love to the baby that was now giggling softly, kicking gently at the walls of the womb.

_'If only we could talk to your father...'_

_ 'Perhaps later, Damien. I... I still worry he's being too hard on himself for cheating on us,' _

_'Well... I suppose it's never really a good feeling, is it?'_

_ 'Oh, it was for me, but... well, you know that Mark was abusive and unpredictable. I didn't love him, and it was... easy to stray. But he still loves us, Damien, and you know what he's like- he beats himself up for silly things and tiny errors, imagine what he must be feeling knowing that he might have hurt us...' _

_'I wish I could speak to him... to tell him everything...'_

_ 'Damien?' _

_'Yes, Celine?'_

_ 'Did... did it hurt you, when he told us he'd slept with another man?' _

Dark felt himself stiffen a little as he tried to hold back tears, suddenly feeling extremely fragile- moved by Damien's thoughts no doubt...

But the kind-hearted soul remained quiet. Dark could hear Celine's tsk echoing through his mind. Damien wasn't fooling anyone with his silence, it was clear.

_ 'It's normal to feel that hurt... Damien, listen, I know what it's like. At least, on a smaller scale... I used to get... jealous, of sorts, when Mark was forced to be intimate with other women on set. Though I know it's not really the same, but I... I understand,' _

_'I'm not hurt by the fact that he slept with another man, Celine. I'm hurt because... because we weren't good enough for him. He's so upset with himself, so disappointed, so hateful... but it's not entirely his fault. We left him alone, we didn't even say anything to him- and not to mention that fight... I just... I'm hurt, because I know I could have been better,'_

_ 'Damien-' _

_'It's true, Celine. I want... I want to be there for him, but I let our other responsibilities get in the way, and now...'_

Dark bit his lip as the hot tears rushed down his cheeks, wiping at them softly as he continued to eat his steadily sogging cereal. Desiree seemed to whimper a little in sympathy- at least, the sound that echoed through Dark's mind sounded similar to her laughter- and he reached for her, curling his fingers protectively around his stomach.

_'No matter... we will discuss this later, Celine. Our baby needs us,'_

_ 'It sounds... strange when you say it's 'our' baby, Damien... I think... I think you've earned the right to call her yours,' _

_'But Celine, that's hardly fair- I am carrying this child just as much as you are,'_

_ 'Yes, but she was never  _ my _  child, Damien. She's Anti's, and that's... that's all you. I'll just be... the aunt, or something,' _

_'That will undoubtedly get confusing with us being in the same body, Celine,'_

_ 'I suppose, but... well, I guess we'll both be her dad, if she decides to call us that,' _

_'I find it quite amusing to think... all those years ago, you'd hardly have thought you were going to end up a father, would you?'_

_ 'This is hardly the strangest thing I've experienced in this form, Damien, don't worry about it,' _

The conversation seemed to cease, and Dark resumed his cereal. Then, he heard a voice. One that didn't belong to anyone he knew, yet one that was somehow strangely familiar...

_'_ _Ɖᾄ_ _...'_

Was that...?

_'Yes- yes, darling- it's your Da... oh, she's so smart, Celine,'_

_ 'I think she's just repeating our voices in her mind, Damien,' _

_'V_ _ὄἷƈἔ_ _ṩ...'_

_'That may be true, but- oh dear, was that her first word?'_

_ 'Damien, it's not a first word unless she speaks it out loud-' _

_'_ _Ɖᾄ_ _!'_

Dark choked a little on his laughter, tears of disbelief and happiness streaming softly from his eyes and replacing those of bitter remorse he'd left drying on his cheeks. This... this was actually happening. She was here, speaking- laughing, getting along with her family...

_If only Anti were here as well..._

As if on cue, Amy opened the door again, holding a small pile of towels. Immediately, her features grew concerned.

"Oh, shit- Dark, are you okay?"

Dark sniffed, wiping his eyes, unable to cease smiling if he tried. "I... I'm fine, Amy. I'm  _perfect_..."

"So... it's good tears?" Amy asked for clarification, relaxing her posture when Dark nodded.

"She's speaking," Dark gushed, still high on exhilaration. "She's really- really talking to me, to her Father and her Aunt and... she's amazing, Amy..."

"Well, I'm sorry to interrupt," Amy smiled sheepishly, "but the bath's all ready- here, I'll help you up. Do you think you'll need your wheelchair?"

Dark shook his head as he got to his feet, wobbling a little at the unusual feeling. He hadn't walked around in days, after all- but he caught himself just fine, letting Amy hand him a pair of crutches that they'd bought for him yesterday. He couldn't express just how glad he was to be free of that contraption- even if he needed another walking aid. Perhaps when he got used to walking with support, he'd use his cane... yes, that seemed like it would help. It had certainly helped Damien in the years following that particularly nasty fractured kneecap...

"Thank you," Dark smiled, still feeling over the moon with elation. He was certain that nothing could happen today that would bring him down.

"So she's really communicating with you, huh?" Amy asked, watching Dark carefully as he made his way down the stairs. She could never be too careful- it had only been a few days since his stroke, after all, and she wasn't sure she trusted him to be alone just yet. But he seemed to be making a smooth recovery, and who was she to tell him he was invalid?

"She's repeating our voices..." Dark breathed in response, sounding rather giddy. "But her own voice... it's so distinct, and clear, and unique. She won't grow into it for a while, and it's less of a sound, more of an... energy, if you will, but it's heavenly. She... she's really something else,"

"I'll say," Amy agreed, opening the bathroom door. "So, sorry if it's a weird question, but are you and Mark really... identical? I mean, only to reassure you it's nothing I haven't seen before, if you're worried,"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me, Amy," Dark mused, shaking his head as the door was closed behind them. "Technically, my body is more akin to Damien's, but you may have gathered that he and Mark looked very similar. Truthfully, I wouldn't know- you may imagine that Mark wouldn't want me to get too close while he's naked."

Amy chuckled, helping Dark to a seat and lifting his shirt. "I suppose not," she agreed. The fabric was tossed aside.

"But to answer your question- I haven't been maintaining my male form as of late, aside from in my torso and facial structures. It's simply much too taxing on my strength- my privates are quite female today, I assure you,"

"Okay," Amy smirked. "Mark wanted to know if you had a bigger dick than he did, I'll just tell him you do so I can watch him squirm,"

Dark snorted under his breath- he rather liked this one. Much more of a sense of humour than that Peevils wench, anyway. "He won't like that, it's brilliant... though as it isn't technically a natural part of this form, I suppose I could make it as big as I wanted it to be, thus making his discomfort and deflated ego invalid,"

Dark shimmied down his bottom layers, sighing in frustration when his dead leg needed to be lifted, but Amy patted his shoulder reassuringly, helping him to his feet again. His chest felt sticky and warm, and his skin was oily with sweat. This bath was certainly long overdue.

"Dark, are you... are you lactating?"

Dark met Amy's eyes curiously, having to take a moment to remember what exactly lactation was. Then upon realising, his eyes flickered down to his chest, seeing the unusually expanded curvature of his breasts, looking rather out of place on his male upper body. Granted, he's always known he could lactate- he'd just never thought much of it, and he usually reduced the fat in his breasts even when he was in his female form, but now it seemed that his efforts were futile.

Small breasts- small enough to get away with not wearing a bra, in any case- were present, poking out just a little more than usual, his usually small areolas now around an inch wider, and shining deep grey with stray translucent fluid weeping from them.

Oh.

Dark curiously pinched one of them, jolting a little in surprise when warm, wet pre-milk dribbled from his nipple, the touch sending sharp pain through his chest. He hadn't realised just how sensitive he'd become, and now his skin was throbbing, tingling as if the simple act had broken several blood vessels. No doubt a bruise would be forming soon...

"It seems so," Dark mumbled, shaking his head in mild disbelief. He'd forgotten entirely about the changes his body was going to go through in pregnancy- only focusing on the ever-expanding nature of his abdomen as his daughter continued to grow.

"We'll have to get you some breast pads," Amy sighed, taking Dark's hand and lifting him to his feet. "Okay, right leg first,"

Dark shot her a wary look. "Are you certain you've got my back?"

"Well, I've got your arm, but I guess that's a decent analogy," Amy chuckled nervously, trying to lighten the mood. Dark was no light creature, after all.

Reluctantly, Dark brought his good leg off of the ground, sinking slowly into the warm water of the bath. It was almost graceful- until he swung his other leg over the side of the tub, splashing water over the edge. He looked at Amy sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," she smirked, handing him a cloth. "So, do you want to hear about my secret plan?"

Dark chuckled under his breath, sinking beneath the suds as he closed his eyes. As much as he hated being fully submerged in water, the heat was doing wonders to his tense muscles. He hadn't realised just how on edge he was until the knots in his arms and legs had started to come undone.

"Go on," Dark affirmed when he returned for air.

"So you know how the doctors want to get married, right?" Amy grinned, a sparkle in her eyes.

"Of course," Dark mused, wiping the sticky pre-milk from his chest and feeling more than a few hard spots within his skin, but he ignored them. They were probably built up sacs of milk- it was especially likely considering he was apparently producing the stuff now.

"Well, seeing as you're not really up for it, I was thinking... well, Kathryn knows a guy who does weddings, and if we can get the doctors to possess Mark and Seán, they could get married here,"

"They'd like that," Dark smiled softly. "Well- I suppose Mark wouldn't, and maybe Seán wouldn't either- but have you discussed the matter with them?"

Amy nodded. "Uh huh, Seán was actually the one who suggested it in the first place- but Mark took a bit of persuading. Though it isn't like we forced him into it or anything- I think it was his pride coming through. He didn't want to seem like a wuss, but he also... he knew it would take one less thing off your plate, and even if he acts douche-y sometimes, he's really a good guy. I think the fact that you have cancer really helped him figure out that you're not as omnipotent and above it all as he feared,"

Dark closed his eyes, ducking under the water briefly so that he could wet his hair. It could have been his memory escaping him again, but it seemed... thicker. More substantial.

"Good..." Dark muttered simply. "I am glad. But they still would not be happy by the end of the night, even if they were willing to swallow their pride for Henrik and Doc's special day... possession is a joint effort, Amy. Both personalities are present, whether they like it or not,"

"Oh," Amy said, coming to the same realisation Dark had. "Yeah... I guess I'd have a hard time convincing Mark to give up his body for  _that_ kind of tomfoolery. Though some part of me is thinking that Seán wouldn't mind as much... maybe it's just wishful thinking."

"Possibly," Dark acknowledged. "But there is someone I've been meaning to contact, and he has experience in this matter that even I do not. Do you have any way to speak with Phil Lester?"

"Yeah, Mark's got Phil and Dan in his contacts," Amy affirmed, pulling out her phone. "I don't know the full story, but I do remember that something to do with them was the reason you stayed with Seán the other month,"

Dark nodded. "Yes- there was a strange chain of events involving Phil's alter ego, Blaze. Somehow, he had managed to possess Phil's body with enough force to knock him into the Void, and Blaze assumed his identity for a little over a week. As if that wasn't enough to deal with, Anti was also acting out at the time- I found myself... spilling my secrets to Phil, when he stayed in my manor. We became good friends in our time together, but then there was the issue of Anti killing and possessing Seán, and trying to kill Blaze in an act of revenge... truly, it was complicated. So much so that you could write a book about it,"

"Well, it sounds like a good idea to look into it," Amy said, shrugging her shoulders. "I've put down Phil's email and his phone number, but I'm pretty sure they're on tour at the moment- I can't guarantee they'll have time to visit,"

"That is fine, Amy," Dark smiled warmly." Thank you again. You truly are a credit to your friends... though I remember that the act of possession Blaze performed was risky, it was solely due to his inexperience. But the doctors have been possessing Mark and Seán for years- the next time I meet with someone who can pass on the message, I will do so,"

Amy grinned. "Sounds great. So in other news... you remember Robert, right? Robert Rexx?"

Dark rolled his eyes with contempt, memories swirling like soapy suds before his eyes. "Yes... that man. When Will and I... that is to say, William and Celine were involved, he became rather ill-tempered and crude towards us,"

"Well, he's a nice enough guy," Amy defended. "I mean... I guess times have changed. Mark didn't tell me he was really the same Chef when he cast the part- I don't even think Mark knew. But looking back at how he acted on set... he had definitely been in that house before,"

"You mean to say that he is still around?" Dark queried, giving a little sigh. "Of course, what else should I expect... and what of young Benjamin?"

"The Butler?" Amy asked, cocking her head to one side. "Well, we didn't know much about him, but Robert told me that they're business partners,"

"When did you find this information, if you don't mind me prying?" Dark questioned, finding it awfully strange that both the Butler and the Chef that had survived living in the manor were being brought up in this conversation. He hadn't told Mark about anyone but himself and Wilford being alive- so how did they know the truth?

Amy shrugged. "I got in touch with Robert yesterday- well, I was mainly looking for a nice restaurant that we could host the wedding in, and I knew that Robert owned one by the waterfront, so that's the reason I called in. But he wanted to know about you- it was... kind of crazy just how much he seemed to know about what was happening,"

Dark's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "What exactly did he know?"

"Things like where you came from, and who you spend time with, and the fact that you're having a baby," Amy explained. "Too many guesses to be a coincidence, in my opinion, but maybe you weren't the only one given weird powers in that manor,"

Dark tensed a little, but  _no_. That was ridiculous. She was trapped there, locked away where she couldn't hurt anyone anymore... besides, she wouldn't have stayed attached to Robert if she had used him to escape that awful place. Dark was probably overthinking this. It had been almost a century now, surely she wouldn't still hold a grudge... But then, hadn't she always hated everything he'd embodied?

" **Non, c'est impossible** ," Dark shook the very idea away. " **Il n'est pas possédé par un démon,** "

Amy looked confused, to say the least. "Um... I... I didn't know you spoke French,"

Dark looked at her curiously, not understanding what she was talking about. "I speak a lot of languages, but how... oh. Dear, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to sink back into  _that_ tongue..."

"It's okay," Amy soothed, watching as Dark shivered in the tub. The water was still warm, so he definitely wasn't cold- what had she said to upset him so? "I just... didn't catch any of that,"

"I simply said that there was no way he could have otherworldly abilities," Dark swallowed, looking rather shaken. "The only reason I am this way is because of the demon who inhabits this form. And I... I refuse to accept that Chef has been possessed by a demon."

"Right," Amy said, but she didn't look convinced. "Well, I didn't really know anything more than he did, so you don't have to worry about that, but if he knows things he shouldn't... maybe we should look into why,"

"I agree," Dark shuddered. "I will have to have words with him..."

Amy's phone pinged, and she smiled softly. "Hey, do you think you'll be able to hang tight until Kathryn gets here? I got her to swing by the store to get some breast pads for you- you don't want to ruin your clothes,"

"Of course," Dark replied. "I wouldn't dream of it- though I don't have any suitable brassiere items to... keep them there,"

"You can borrow one of my boobtubes," Amy offered. "Though it might be a bit... tight,"

"I will manage," Dark sighed. "Really, if it comes to it, I can make myself female in all aspects of appearance. I'd just... prefer to remain male when I'm around Anti,"

"Is that because he only likes men?" Amy queried, looking rather curious about Dark's reasoning.

Dark shook his head softly- he was, after all, fairly sure that Anti identified as bisexual. "No, it's... it's because Damien prefers to be male when around him. It makes him feel more confident,"

Amy smiled knowingly. "Ah- it's Damien that likes him, huh?"

"Oh, Damien loves him," Dark corrected with a small smile. "More than anything... except maybe Desiree."

"That's understandable," Amy chuckled. "Well, how about we change the topic- the conversation's been serious for long enough. Do you like chocolate? Kathryn's bringing some fondue over,"

Dark's lips twitched in a smile.

**~Void~**

"Hey, is Jackie here by any chance?"

"Yeah, of course," Halter replied, looking at Anti curiously as he let the glitch inside. "Why?"

Anti shrugged, placing his hands in his pockets. "I just... need to get something off my chest."

"Well, he's had a few drinks so I don't know how out of it he'll be, but go ahead," Halter advised, biting his lip as he closed the door behind them. The room was oddly quiet- most of the egos must have burned themselves out and gone to sleep- that or they were upstairs sucking dick. Anti was only half-joking when he'd made that statement, and considering that Marvin and Yan weren't obviously present... there was definitely something sexy happening in another room.

But the man Anti had come to see was there, sitting in the living room with Septiplier and Silver. Halter hadn't been kidding when he said Jackie had a few drinks- in fact, Anti would wager he may have had more. He'd just never seen the man this pissed before- but perhaps that would make it easier to talk to him.

Anti walked over to the gathering of egos, sitting on the sofa beside Septiplier and shooting the superheroes a meaningful glance.

"Hey Anti," Septiplier greeted, clapping him on the back. "Thanks for the pep talk earlier, I... I don't know what I was thinking,"

Anti smiled softly as he waved away Septiplier's thanks. "Don't mention it- we all have days like this. Just ask Chase,"

Septiplier snorted, and Anti could see that he was also a little tipsy- Septiplier was a strange case when it came to alcohol tolerance. As he was half Jack, he had a certain affinity for liquor- but as he was half Mark, he sometimes had a bit more of an allergic reaction to the stuff. Some nights he could chug several pints of beer, and others he vomited upon taking a single sip, but tonight he seemed to be in a comfortable middle area.

"Heyyy Anti," Jackie greeted, a little more friendly than Anti had first anticipated. He supposed he hadn't seen enough of his older brothers to make a judgment, but he figured that Jackie was a happy drunk. Why else would the contempt and the glares be vacant?

_Calm down, Anti... You're here to make peace, not start a fight._

"Hey Jackieboy," Anti replied, sending him a warm, if a little strained smile. "Having fun tonight?"

Jackie, to his surprise, seemed to pout. "No... 'vryone's gone to go fuck their boyfriends but me 'n Silver here... jerks."

Anti couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the tone of the super's voice- who knew Jackieboy Man could whine like this?

"Everyone?" Anti queried, looking around. "Even Bim and Squirrels?"

He was no idiot- he knew what those two were playing at with this fake relationship, but if it really was a farce, why would they be off in some room together? Perhaps they weren't dating, but they had certain... benefits.

Whatever. He'd only really pried because it was easy conversation.

Jackie nodded. "Mhm, they're in the bathroom... I don't know what they're doin' in there, but... fuck, they're loud,"

Silver snorted in agreement. "Couldn't be more right there-  _ooh, King! Right there!_  He's got a set of lungs, that Trimmer..."

"Right," Anti said, wanting to move swiftly on from that topic. "Anyway- I just came over to say hi and... and apologise for how I acted when we first met, Jackieboy..."

Anti had mumbled the last part of the sentence, and he was worried Jackie was a little too drunk to hear it correctly, but Septiplier patted his shoulder reassuringly. At least someone in here knew what was happening...

Jackie leaned over. "Yeah... I 'ccept it... 'm sorry too. I was... I was a bit of a dick, wasn't I?"

Anti... wasn't expecting that kind of response. He'd thought he was going to have to grovel at the super's feet if he wanted forgiveness, but here he was, just offering it to him? No catch?

Anti was more than a little wary.

"I mean... I guess," Anti agreed, watching cautiously in case this somehow turned on him. "But really- I was... I was a jealous kid at the time, and you were so fresh and new and exciting... I thought they'd all forget about me and start hanging out with you, and it felt... It felt shit, I won't lie. But that's not your fault, I... I know that now,"

Jackie shook his head, shifting over so that he was sitting beside Anti. The glitch could almost taste the alcohol in the air, but Jackie soon pulled back to take another swig.

"I was... a bit of a jerk too, Anti," Jackie admitted. "I didn't... want to listen to you or your cries for help... in my head, you were a problem, and I... I'm sorry for not givin' you a chance. Schneep's been tellin' me, you know? About... about how you had a fear of abandonment, and I was threatening to you... really made me think, you know?"

"It did, huh?" Anti asked.

"Yeah," Jackie agreed. "Made me want to... you know, try again. But you don't have to, I know, it's just... I'm a superhero, Anti, and I don't wanna be a superhero that facilitates bullying... that's not me... I'm sorry..."

Anti smiled a little- bullying? Well, he wouldn't have called their actions bullying... after all, they were justified enough in Anti's books, but something about these genuine words and sentences spilling forth... it was nice. Anti didn't think Jackie had ever been this nice to him before.

"I'm sorry..." Jackie repeated, sobbing a little. "I'm so s-sorry, Anti, I..."

"Hey, shh," Anti soothed, awkwardly wrapping his arms around his little brother and pulling him in for a hug. He'd been so happy before- how had this turned so sour so quickly?

"I'm sorry f-for being overbearing and hateful and judgmental a-and, and for driving you a-away like that," Jackie sobbed, crying into Anti's shoulder. "And I- I'm so fucking sorry for how I spoke to Y-Yan when he broke up w-with Marvin, and I'm sorry for keeping Host and R-Robbie apart, and... and I'm sorry for being so s-selfish..."

"Jackie, hey," Anti tried to speak in between the muffled crying. "I don't think you're selfish,"

"B-but everything I do... everything I say here, it's... it's because of m-me, Anti. W-what I want, and how I f-feel, and... it's not just about m-me..."

Septiplier gave Anti a look of sympathy. "Wow, you really stuck yourself in this one,"

"Yeah, I see that," Anti said, rolling his eyes. "Look, Jackie, I... I don't know what to say about the others, but... if you want to bury the past, and I want to bury the past, let's just... move on. You don't have to be a douche, and I don't have to retaliate, see? It'll be fine,"

Jackie sniffed a little. "T-that easy?"

"Well, unless you want to be my personal slave for a month," Anti joked, but he had a feeling Jackie took that far too literally. What the hell kind of guilt drip had Schneep dragged him on to make him feel so shitty?

"Heh... in your dreams," Jackie returned. "I... okay. Just... remind me again when I'm sober, okay?"

Anti smiled at his sibling, finally feeling like he could admit he was related to this man and be proud. All this time he'd thought Jackie was nothing but a judgmental, arrogant prick, but... well, Jackie had probably thought the same of him. Now, it was behind them. At least, until the next day when Jackie would likely forget that this conversation even happened- but hopefully, Anti would be away from the Void, spending time with Dark in the Groundlands tomorrow.

This was all coming together. One thing at a time, one apology after the next... Anti was getting better.

But it's a known fact that the hardest person to apologise to is yourself.


	21. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is 2019 my dudes

**~Groundlands~**

Dr. Iplier held Host's hand reassuringly as they ascended the flight of stairs leading to the new bedrooms Anti had summoned for them. It was strange- after four years of having limited vision, Host still wasn't entirely used to walking around on his own. He was usually alright, Dr. Iplier knew- because he inhabited the office that sat on the ground floor of Darkiplier Manor. It was really just stairs he had trouble with, but considering the circumstances of Host and Robbie's escapade, Dr. Iplier knew that sharing the same floor as the other egos might have been less desirable for the pair than just navigating the stairways.

He was content to let Host use him for support now, however- hopefully when Robbie awoke, he'd be able to help Host down the stairs again without letting him break his back.

"So it's the first one on the right?" Dr. Iplier queried, and Host nodded, scratching idly beneath the bandages above his left eye. Really, if there was any other way to avoid blood dripping everywhere, Dr. Iplier was certain Host would take it. He used to get the most awful rashes under those things...

"The Host affirms Dr. Iplier's idea to be the truth,"

"Right..." Dr. Iplier smiled a little. "You've always had a certain way with words, huh?"

Host smirked. "The Host supposes that is true."

Dr. Iplier opened the door that led to the room, the central heating Anti installed having made the room stuffy and hot- but Host didn't seem to mind all that much. Neither did Robbie- who in fact looked like he wanted more warmth, being snuggled deep underneath the blankets. The blood... oh, wow.

It was everywhere. Little droplets soaked into the carpet, massive smears on the blanket- it was covering the zombie where he slept, dried on his pale skin in a way that mustn't have been very comfortable.

Though it was hardly the reason they'd split, Dr. Iplier knew that the feeling of being coated in blood during sex wasn't one he'd particularly desired. He groaned slightly, bringing his palm to his face as he pondered telling Anti to write this room off. "Are you sure you had to take off the bandage?"

Host frowned in response, folding his arms. "The Host assures the doctor that he only did it because Robbie asked it of him,"

"But did Robbie know the room would look like a slaughterhouse afterwards?" Dr. Iplier grimaced. "Christ... guess I should be glad I don't have to deal with this mess. Er... why don't you take a seat? I'll... help him out,"

Host, instead, walked over to the bed, sitting beside his lover and brushing some hair away from his eyes. Though Host couldn't see, he could feel the coagulated blood, still half-warm and runny in some places, crusted over and clotted in others. In Robbie's once purple hair, flecked onto his cheeks, dripping onto his eyelids as he slept peacefully... Host almost didn't want to wake him.

But he knew this was necessary. Host knew that if he didn't shower twice daily, the blood drove him mad- he could only imagine what it would feel like for Robbie if it dried to his skin.

"The Host nudges Robbie gently awake," Host muttered, using his hand to jolt Robbie's arm softly. Thankfully, Robbie was a light enough sleeper. Host stopped shaking him as soon as he felt Robbie tense underneath his fingers, relaxing as the zombie sat up, wiping his bleary eyes.

"... Itchy,"

"I'd imagine so," Dr. Iplier mused, and Robbie whipped his head in alarm to face him, not having known he was here. But he didn't evidently mind, as he went back to rubbing away the crusty mess on his cheeks.

"Hello... Doc," Robbie greeted with a small yawn. "How... you?"

Dr. Iplier couldn't help but smile as he walked over, gently pushing Host's hand aside so he could bring in his damp towel. "I'm doing well, Robbie- how about you? Was Host too rough with you?"

Host knew it was all in good fun- it had become, what did the kids call it these days? A meme? It was an... inside joke among the other egos, that Host was rather tough for most of them to handle. And really, it wasn't like he'd been with anyone but Doc and Robbie- but word travels fast, especially when Wilford gets involved in the mix.

The blinded man smiled at the joke, and Robbie chuckled softly under his breath, letting Doc get close enough to wipe some congealed blood from his lips and chin.

"Just... right," Robbie retorted cheekily, causing Dr. Iplier to raise his eyebrows in what looked like a show of respect.

"Well, you're certainly more strong-willed than I was," Dr. Iplier chuckled. "Really- he almost had me in tears once. Was he holding back with you?"

Robbie nodded without hesitation, giving Host a small pout and smiling in defeat when Host's hands entwined with his own. Really, he wasn't holding back by much- Robbie just hoped that next time Host would trust himself not to be so careful. He'd proven he could take it, hadn't he?

"The Host did not want to make the same mistake of hurting someone he loved," Host mumbled, squeezing Robbie's fingers between his own. "Besides- The Host was not holding back as much as he had wished to. The Host eventually found that Robbie seems to like the pain,"

Robbie would have blushed if he had blood- but instead, he seemed to duck his head shyly, burying it in Host's chest as the older ego let out a hearty chuckle.

"I'm glad you found someone to love you for who you are," Dr. Iplier smiled, patting Host's hand softly. "Both of you. I think where we've ended up after all these years has been worth every single moment of doubt, would you agree?"

"The Host indeed agrees," Host spoke up, letting go of Robbie's hand so that the doctor could clean in between his fingers. "The Host truthfully did not know if he could ever feel true happiness again after he awoke blind and cursed, but... The Host is glad that he found Robbie. Robbie is also glad that he found The Host,"

"And I'm glad that you found  _me_  before this blood dried," Dr. Iplier snorted. "Jesus... okay, I don't know how comfortable you are with me washing the rest of him. If you'd like, I can get Henrik to come up and-"

"It's fine, Doc."

Three heads whipped to face the door, where a familiar green-eyed glitch was standing, smiling at the occupants.

"... Anti?" Robbie asked, lips spreading into a grin. Anti cracked a larger smile in return, walking further inside yet leaving the door open just a crack.

"Yep, it's me. I've... I've brought someone who really wants to talk with you two, but I'll tell him to wait until you're decent,"

Host's brows furrowed. "The Host knows that Jackieboy Man is standing outside the room, and wonders why Anti thought it wise to bring him here?"

Robbie looked warily at his older brother, inching closer into Host's side as if he were scared Host would be taken from him. Anti supposed he couldn't blame the guy- he'd been nervous that Jackie would take Dark from him once, too.

Though, in a slightly different context...

"I'm sure you two will be fine," Dr. Iplier reassured them, standing again as he draped the towel over his chair. "Let me know if there's any trouble,"

With that, the doctor left. Anti sighed, walking over and sitting next to Robbie, looking over the bloodstained carpet and the crimson sheets... well, it wasn't anything new around here, at least. He picked up the warm, wet rag that had gathered some blood residue already, pressing it into the small of Robbie's back.

"You're alright with me helping?" Anti asked before he started, and Robbie hesitantly nodded. But Anti could guess that the problem was hardly him- it was more that Jackie was outside, looming, and the pair had a certain fear of being caught doing anything by that super.

Robbie stood awkwardly, letting Anti dip the warm rag into the crook of his back, washing away Host's large handprints that had rubbed partially away on the sheets. He turned Robbie slowly around, wiping up his thighs, then his stomach. It seemed that the most blood was really only on his upper half- and that made a certain kind of sense in Anti's brain. After all, that's where Dark's eyes usually were when they were doing something... intimate.

He sighed deeply as Robbie pulled on some old clothes, letting the old rag drop to the floor. Dark... no, that was another day's worry. Right now he should be concerned by defusing the coming conversation before it got out of hand. Though he now knew that Jackie really meant no harm, his words still had the tendency to sting- Anti knew from experience.

"Host? You alright?" Anti asked delicately. After all, he  _had_  just been a certain kind of close and personal with a part of Robbie that Host had probably claimed as his own, and he didn't exactly have the best representation for his faithfulness right now... but Host didn't seem to be bothered by  _him_ at all.

The blind man crossed his arms and his coat, still watching the door blankly. "The Host is ready for Jackieboy Man's assault of words,"

Robbie nodded as well, resting his head on Host's shoulder as Anti swallowed a gulp of air, calling his eldest brother into the room. Was this really the right thing to be doing? Sure, he didn't entirely trust Jackie to do this sober, but was it really his call to force this interaction so early on?

"Hey..." the superhero greeted nervously, fidgeting with his suit as he walked into the blood-covered bedroom. "Um... Anti told me everything,"

"The Host had assumed so," Host replied, not seeming angry, but more... irritated. Anti guessed he could understand that.

"Well, I... I just wanted to say that... it's not you, Host- I mean, you're probably not the best person out there but you're not terrible, and I- I'm sorry if it felt like you were the reason I disapproved of... of you two,"

Robbie's fingers tightened around his lover's. "Then... why?"

Jackie took a deep breath, running his red-clad fingers through his hair. "I... I don't know, Robbie... I just... maybe I was jealous. Maybe I... I dunno, I thought we'd be... the only two innocent Septiceyes for a while? I just..."

He let out his breath. "I didn't w-want you to leave me l-like everyone else, okay?"

Anti paused- he hadn't heard this side of the story before. Sure, Jackie had been blubbering about a lot of things earlier, but a fear of abandonment certainly wasn't something Anti had known about. And the fact that Anti was coming to terms with his own irrational fear of losing people he loved... well, it definitely changed a lot of how he saw his eldest brother.

The first day they'd met- the first other Septiceye Jackie had seen... well, Anti had walked away from that situation pretty fast- it couldn't have been nice on Jackie's end. Then when he got Marvin, he was almost immediately snatched up by Yan, and- oh, and Schneep hadn't stayed with Jackie since before Anti had left, no wonder he felt neglected...

Despite everything- every emotion, every outburst, every snide remark... Anti felt sorry for the guy. That... that was rough.

Robbie met Jackie's eyes sympathetically, standing and walking awkwardly over to him to give him a hug.

"I... won't... leave... you," Robbie promised, holding the superhero tightly around his middle.

Jackie sniffed, returning the embrace strongly, only letting go at the small wince that left Robbie's lips, though the zombie was still smiling.

"It's j-just," Jackie hiccuped. "F-first Anti, and then M-Marvin... Now Schneep's getting m-married, and Chase is always with Bing and... and JJ... he's never lived with m-me, and... am I just unlikable?"

"No..." Robbie replied. "Like... you. So... do... they..."

"B-but..." Jackie sighed. "They j-just... they just spend time w-with their boyfriends a-and I... I get so l-lonely... I'm sorry, Robbie, I... I didn't mean to be a fuckwit about it..."

"If The Host may?"

Anti's gaze snapped to his side, watching as Host stood up shakily, making his way over to the shivering mess that was Jackieboy.

"Y-yeah," Jackie shuddered, wiping his eyes underneath his mask. "G-go ahead..."

"The Host appreciates that Jackieboy Man is coming clean about his emotional distress," Host spoke, resting a hand on the super's shoulder. "The Host recognises that it is not always easy to speak the inner troubles of your mind aloud. But The Host can sense an underlying message of hope unfolding in the narrative- an open ending. A possible interpretation, saying that the superhero won't be as lonely as he thinks he is condemned to be. The Host cannot say if it is love or companionship, but something is looming on the horizon for Jackieboy Man- he just has to take the chance when it comes. The Host... is sorry, but that is all he can say. The Host thanks Jackieboy Man for not overreacting to the news of The Host and Robbie's new advancement in their relationship,"

Jackie stepped forward, engulfing Host in an equally warm hug as he sniffed a little into the blind man's shoulder, muttering 'thank you's just as he had done with Anti just moments ago. The guy must be really beating himself up about it, but... Anti almost felt like that was justified.

"I'm r-really happy for you," Jackie promised, pulling Robbie into the hug as well. "I swear, I- I want you to b-be happy too, but I... I'm so fucking prideful t-that I... fuck, I'm sorry..."

Host reached out his hand, beckoning Anti to join the hug, and Anti almost hesitated... but then, he caught himself. Nobody here was actually his enemy anymore- It was... it was perfectly normal to hug them and make them feel better.

He complied.

And yeah, it was a little gross- Robbie's skin was damp and blotchy, and Jackie was still sobbing uncontrollably, and it was hard to ignore the fact that Host was naked under that coat- Anti was just happy that his neck wound was behaving itself today. While usually he'd be wiping blood from it every half hour, today it almost seemed... sealed. Healed?

No. Not quite yet. But he was getting there.

Anti held his family a little tighter. Knowing that he'd brought Jackie here, that the situation had panned out wonderfully... it filled him with a kind of happiness he'd missed having. The kind of happiness he'd get from improving Dark's arduous day, or helping out Author with his stories, or being the one happy ego in a manor full of depressed and psychotic creations... he liked bringing comfort, and happiness, and that's really all there was to it.

"The Host apologises for the mess," Host muttered, and Anti took another long look at the room. Sure, it sucked, but could it really be helped? He didn't know much about Doc and Author's sex life after Author had become Host, but he was certain there was at least  _some_  spillage involved. He ended up shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it," he urged, patting Host on the back. "It's... not the first time my house has been covered in blood, you know?"

And Anti hadn't meant to turn the conversation to his self-harming tendencies, but now Jackie was latching onto him, crying, and Robbie was fixing him with an empathic stare... was this love? Family love, like he'd never let himself know?

It was almost like the fulfillment that Dark's happiness brought- except instead of warm tingles, Anti felt... elation. Promise. He felt like he had someone that cared.

He smiled, the scab on his neck seeming to harden as he realised just what he'd missed out on for all these years.

It may not have been the first time blood had coated the rooms, but Anti had a feeling this would be one of the last.

**~Groundlands~**

"I don't trust him," Wilford muttered, fixing his beady eyes on the retreating form of the chef. That bloody chef... Wilford had never liked him. He'd worked for Will's father for as long as he could remember, and he'd never been particularly nice to himself  _or_  to Mark. In fact, the only one he really seemed to like had been Damien, but  _clearly_ those days were over...

"What don't you trust?" Abe questioned as they sat on the bench outside the restaurant. "I don't see a reason why he'd lie to you about anything,"

"He could be hiding them!" Wilford argued, and Abe was just thankful he wasn't carrying his gun. The last thing they needed right now was to be arrested- Abe, after all, was the only one with an actual ID.

Though he supposed that Wilford had his ways of getting out of things- just thinking of the time he'd first seen Wilford use his strange teleportation abilities- surely the man could bust out of whatever cell they put him in.

Even if they then threw that cell into a lake.

"I doubt he'd be hiding the ex-wife of his old boss, Wilford, that's not something people  _do_ ," Abe groaned in frustration.

Wilford scoffed. "Well, how would you know? Didn't you see the look in his eyes? He knows something, Abe, I'm telling you... my, she looks awfully familiar,"

Abe raised an eyebrow. "Oh no, if you're just going to run off and flirt with another woman you can consider us done... talking,"

"No," Wilford huffed. "Why would I do that? She looks like someone I've seen back home, in The Void... Peevils, her name was?"

Abe met his gaze- sure enough, there was a rather pretty-looking woman with dark hair, just walking into the restaurant they'd come from. Abe didn't know who she was- but Wilford seemed to be lost in thought.

"Could she be Peevils' original?" Wilford asked himself, getting to his feet. "I wonder if she knows Mark-"

"Mark?" Abe asked in disbelief. "What, you're working with him now?"

"Now friend, it seems we're on different pages here," Wilford replied. "Not the Mark we know- but the original of my dear friends back home. Now are you going to come along or are you waiting here for me?"

Abe grimaced. "You know I don't trust you alone- but dammit, Warfstache, do you have to chase  _every_  woman you see-"

The mustached man was already gone.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Darky!"

Dark opened his eyes just in time to see what he could only presume to be Anti (nobody else would dream of calling him 'Darky') lunging for him, pulling him into a hug. He prided himself on his quick reaction time as he hugged back, letting Anti sit on the edge of his lap, facing both he and his child.

After Dark's bath, he'd spent a lovely day with Amy and Kathryn- discussing baby names and gifts (though he'd asserted them, they didn't need to bother) and talking about the wedding. He'd found himself getting more and more invested in planning this celebration than he'd have thought- though he supposed that they'd needed to go through him to really determine what the doctors would like.

But it had been mildly exhausting to sit there and talk all day- Dark had been relaxing in the lounge, and Mark had been talking to Tyler on the opposite sofa, and the girls had gone back to their home after a long day of wedding-planning. Dark had gotten so used to Amy being here that it was almost sad to see her go- but he knew she'd be coming back soon. Even if he told her he was good as new, she'd still insist on checking in to see how he was doing.

He guessed that maybe the excitement of the new baby was rubbing off on everyone. Even Mark had approached him today, asking if he could feel the baby... in a way, this child would be Mark's aunt, and Dark had brought this fact up to him, watching with mirth as Mark's cheeks turned red with denial.

It was all coming together. And with Anti here, that thought was only solidifying itself in Dark's mind. They were going to be alright...

Anti kissed him in greeting, short and sweet- really, he wasn't much of an exhibitionist. It was Dark that usually dragged out their embraces, wanting to make sure everyone knew what was happening- and more importantly, that there was nothing they could do to stop it. But Mark and Tyler were watching now, and Dark felt more than a little awkward under their scrutinising glances. He broke the kiss reluctantly, settling for holding Anti in his arms, but Anti wasn't complaining.

"Good evening," Dark chuckled heartily, blinking when Anti pressed a gentle kiss to his nose. Perhaps he was just overly affectionate today- though Dark couldn't imagine why.

"Is it night?" Anti asked, cocking his head to one side. "Huh- I'd thought it might have been later, but that doesn't matter. How was your day- are you alright? Do you feel better?"

"Anti, hush now..." Dark smiled, though his heart swelled just knowing that Anti cared about him enough to ask. "I'm fine- better than ever, really. As for my day, I've spent it planning out our doctors' wedding celebration, what about yourself?"

"They'll be happy to hear that," Anti smiled, beaming. "I helped Septiplier get over his stupid age gap problem- that was pretty neat,"

"Oh dear," Dark mused, shaking his head. "Not again..."

Mark blanched, audibly choking a little as he realised what they were talking about. "Septiplier?!"

"Oh, you don't know, do you?" Dark sighed. "Septiplier is the personification of yours and Seán's relationship- he's a... fusion, of sorts. He carries extra appendages, but otherwise he is just like a regular ego,"

Mark looked a little pale. "You mean... in that sketch..."

"Oh, he was alive long before the sketch," Dark advised. "He arrived shortly after Google, in fact- I believe he came to be when the two of you started to gain fame as an internet duo,"

"But..." Mark sighed in frustration. "That's... ugh, okay. I can live with that, I guess..."

"Good," Anti said. "Because he's had to deal with your shit for the last four years-"

"Anti," Dark said, a little more firmly. It simply wouldn't do to have a fight break out between his lover and his grandchild.

Wait... did the fact that the two were together make Anti Mark's grandfather as well?

Perhaps Dark needed more sleep than he was getting. Just a hunch.

Anti pouted, but he resigned himself from making further commentary, for Dark's sake. "Okay..."

"I assume this was about his affinity for Halter," Dark sighed, getting back on the topic of the conversation.

"Yeah, I shot down his stupid agenda," Anti smirked. "Really- I'm pretty sure the day that Schneep arrived, he was on his hands and knees in Doc's office, and  _that_ 's a three year age difference at least,"

"So it is," Dark smiled fondly.

"And then there's you and me- and I know I'm older than they are but you're  _way_  older than me, so our age gap is probably monumental,"

"Agreed," Dark grinned in response. "But if it came to our child- what would be a suitable age gap if someone wanted to date her?"

Anti crinkled his nose. "Dark, she's a  _baby_ , nobody wants to date a baby. But if she's mature enough, and she knows what she's getting into... I mean, I guess she's free to date whoever,"

"I'm glad you have this much faith in her already," Dark mused, his heart swelling as he thought of the nice, domestic life he could have with his lover and their child. Birthdays and presents and valuable teachings... he could hardly wait.

Anti snorted. "Well, she is half you, she has to make  _some_  smart decisions,"

"I'm flattered," Dark smiled again, letting Anti bring him in for another hug.

He certainly seemed... spritely, today. Dark wondered briefly what else he had done to get him so chipper- especially since the last time Dark had seen him, he was in tears.

That reminded him- they still had to talk about the whole cheating thing...

"Anti, dear..." Dark said, unsure of how to word this. "The other day, when... you told me you'd cheated, I never... caught whom,"

Anti sighed under his breath, fidgeting with his fingers. "I... sorry, I guess I should've told you before jumping into this like we were really fine again, I-"

"No, Anti, do not misunderstand me," Dark pleaded, reaching out to take his lover's hand. "I didn't wish for your delightful mood to cease- I was simply curious. Truly, I'm not mad at all,"

"Well..." Anti muttered, biting his lip nervously. "It was... It was JJ,"

Dark blinked softly. "Jameson... and Wilford as well?"

Anti shook his head. "No- God no, I wouldn't tap that if you paid me, but... then I didn't really set out to sleep with JJ either, it just kind of... happened... sorry, that's such a dumb excuse-"

"No," Dark refused again. "It's a perfectly adequate excuse- emotional upheaval is dangerous to the brain, Anti, for this exact reason. It is obvious to me that you were hardly thinking clearly when it happened. Now tell me, why did Wilford allow this to take place? He is rather sensitive about his... property,"

Anti shivered. "Wilford was... well, he was fucking around with Kink, and JJ was really upset about it, and... I was upset because... Well, I thought it wasn't my baby and that you'd slept with someone else, and I was... well, I felt sucky. I bumped into him outside, and then we were kissing, and then he had his dick out and we were... fuck, I hated it,"

Anti was looking down at his hands, frustrated. "I fucking... I didn't even like it, but it was a distraction so I... I went along with it... but it isn't his fault, Dark- he was upset and in pain, and he..."

Dark brushed his fingers through Anti's dark green locks- they seemed almost faded in comparison to what they once were, but it was a nice look. It made him seem more... mature.

"Now, Anti," Dark chided softly. "If you are willing to give him the benefit of sadness and pain, why won't you forgive yourself on the same grounds?"

Anti sniffed a little. "H-huh?"

"You weren't at your best either," Dark noted, pulling him closer. "I know how hard it can be to forgive yourself after something like this... which brings me to my next point. I assume you heard the slander about our child being another's from a conversation you found yourself unwittingly part of?"

Anti sighed. "Y-yeah... I tried possessing Jack so I could talk to you, and... that's the first thing I heard. I... I heard it was his,"

Dark rubbed Anti's fingers soothingly in his palm. "I can understand why they would believe such a mistruth... for you see, Anti, it wasn't only Wilford that I've found myself entangled with in the past. More recently, when I was... trapped in this mortal realm, I slept with Seán in a desperate attempt to fix myself- though I only succeeded in making it worse, truly..."

Anti was silent for a moment. He didn't look angry, but he didn't look very pleased either.

"... So you did sleep with Jack?" Anti muttered. "I... I didn't want to believe it, but... oh, it doesn't matter. This was b-before I even..."

Dark caught him when he collapsed slightly, falling into Dark's arms with a pitiful sob.

"You two okay over there?" Tyler asked, concerned.

"I can handle this," Dark smiled reassuringly, though inside he wasn't so sure if he could mend this rift as easily as it seemed. Though Seán was nothing but a temporary fix to him- Anti didn't know that. And Anti had always felt inferior, lesser, more pathetic than his human counterpart...

"Antithesis, please," Dark whispered softly, running his fingers along Anti's scalp. "You must understand- you are not my rebound, he was... I've loved you since the second I saw you, truly,"

Anti shuddered a little in disbelief. "Y-you're just saying that..."

"No," Dark replied with a small smile, bringing Anti's face up to meet his own. "I mean it, Anti- Damien has loved you for your entire life, and... though it was only recently that he convinced the rest of me to pursue you, I have always been... infatuated with your presence. You are dear to me, you understand? I must admit that I'm terrible at conveying my feelings, but-"

Anti shushed him quickly with a kiss to the lips, small but effective. It seemed that he had wanted Dark's rambling to cease so that he could ask the question burning on his mind- Dark had never mentioned Damien before, after all.

"Damien?" Anti asked aloud. "Who... what?"

"You never told him?" Mark asked disbelievingly. Dark shot him a small glare, but turned his attention back to Anti. He didn't need to explain himself to Mark, after all.

"Yes, Damien," Dark agreed, feeling part of him swell when Anti said his proper name. "He's one of the two souls that are trapped in this form. The other is his sister, Celine- she was... less agreeable when it came to giving you our heart, but I am glad she gave in in the end..."

Anti looked momentarily stunned. "You mean..." he started, licking his lips. "That the Damien and Celine that Wilford keeps talking about... that's you?"

Dark nodded wordlessly. He'd almost forgotten that Wilford still mentioned their names occasionally, and that Anti might have picked up on them beforehand. The poor glitch looked like he didn't know what to make of himself right now.

"Yes," Dark affirmed sadly. "It was... a terrible turn of events that led to this,"

"Why didn't you tell him?" Anti asked, eyes shining with tears. "He... he fucking cries himself to sleep some nights thinking about them- about  _you_ , Dark why wouldn't you say something?"

"Because he doesn't see me as a culmination of beings," Dark interrupted, hanging his head lowly. "He... he knows me as Dark, and... I can't split into who I used to be, Anti. It's... complicated, to say the least. Why did you think I kept this from you for so long? I... I didn't know how you would react,"

"I..." Anti swallowed. "I don't... it doesn't make much of a difference, right? I can just... I can call you Damien now, right? That's..."

He sighed a little. "A nice... name..."

Dark felt part of him flutter.  _"Thank you, Anti... but you shouldn't call us Damien, even though I am residing within. It wouldn't be right, considering that my sister is here as well- we had adapted the name 'Dark' because it was what the demon called himself, and it seemed... easier,"_

**'It is hardly what I called myself- but what I had grown accustomed to, you insolent fools...'**

"D-Damien?" Anti whispered uncertainly. "Is that... I mean, can they... you... ugh, this is weird,"

Dark chuckled softly despite himself. "This is... this is why I didn't want to tell you... it gets confusing even for me sometimes, you know? I didn't... I didn't want to scare you away..."

"Oh, Darky," Anti sniffed, holding him around the middle. "I'm not going anywhere, not unless... unless you want me to,"

"I wouldn't dream of such a thing," Dark promised. "And... though you know the truth now, I implore you... do not feel obligated to cater to either of our needs separately. To... to call our individual names, or to ask us about ourselves, because... truly, we are one now. Who we once were is lost to us..."

Anti bit his lip as he nodded sadly. "But... it's Damien that has f-feelings for me, right?"

"He adores you with every part of his soul," Dark promised again. "He hates seeing you upset, and he hated every night we spent with any other man... he loves you, Anti. More than anything,"

Anti smiled through his tears, resting his head on Dark's chest. "I... I love him too. I love  _you_ , too..."

Mark had stopped talking to Tyler in favour of looking at the pair of egos that were currently sitting together on the sofa, giggling softly and exchanging sweet nothings as if they weren't dangerous demons bent on destruction... or was that something Mark had decided they were?

Truly, it escaped him how the man he'd known in his childhood- strange, reality-distorting and creepy- was actually so... nice?

No, nice wasn't the word. Part of him knew that Dark could be pleasant enough, but he'd just always seemed so brooding and careful, that seeing him smiling and laughing with Anti just seemed so... unnatural.

"You alright there, bud?" Tyler snorted, noticing that Mark had ceased speaking to him.

"I'm just... trying to wrap my head around it," Mark frowned. "I mean- Dark's always seemed so inhuman, and scary, and dangerous, but... fuck, Tyler, that's precious. Dark isn't a precious guy,"

"Well, I know for a fact that you're a different man around Amy," Tyler teased. "You're not trying or anything either- you just seem... happier, I guess. Maybe Dark's the same. Look at them- you'd tell me that isn't love?"

Mark wasn't so sure his previous assumptions about the two egos were even right anymore. The Dark he'd thought he'd known wouldn't have tolerated cheating- wouldn't have let anyone use 'Darky' as a nickname, wouldn't have let anyone get this close...

But fuck, it was getting hard to deny. They were kissing again- but it wasn't like they were trying to make anyone else uncomfortable. It's like they were doing it just for the sake of doing it, just because they wanted to... and Dark's swollen abdomen was resting between them, and he was becoming aware of the way Anti's fingers were tapping Dark's skin softly, and... those two really did seem to be in love.

"I'm confused," Mark groaned aloud, causing Tyler to laugh in response.

"Love is confusing," Tyler advised. "Whether it's yours or not. But what matters is that they're both happy, right?"

"Right," Mark agreed, feeling a weight lift off his chest. "Right..."


	22. Chapter 21

**~Groundlands~**

"Fuck, that was a long show..." Dan sighed, running his hands through his mildly-sweaty hair. It was bloody hot in Connecticut- a strong 80°F is what they'd been told as they made their way back to their tour bus, shrugging off their jackets. It had been a high energy turnout tonight- a theater full of young people of all shapes and colours, wearing their merch and bopping to the beats... really, it wasn't terrible. But it was  _exhausting_.

"It wasn't  _that_  bad," Phil laughed, though he shuddered a little in sympathy for Dan. He hadn't been right since that whole ego thing happened, but... well, Phil guessed he couldn't blame him. If he'd died and come back to life as if nothing had happened, he'd be feeling detached as well. He only wished Dan could move on from what had occurred in time- he hadn't uploaded in a long while and the fans were starting to get worried.

"You've got an email from Mark," Dan frowned as he checked their phones, head cocked to one side in confusion. "What do you think that's about?"

"Beats me," Phil shrugged, throwing on a clean shirt. He'd gotten unusually sweaty in that damn building. "Maybe he wants to collab now that we're in the country,"

Dan shivered in remembrance. "The last time someone wanted to 'collab' with us, I ended up stabbed. You don't think it's actually Darkiplier trying to kill my ego in an elaborate ploy that involves possessing Mark's body and sending us this to lure us into a false sense of security-"

"Dan, shut up," Phil snorted, shoving Dan in his side and leaning over his shoulder. "You're overreacting- just read what it says,"

Dan sighed deeply as he opened the email, though he didn't look entirely convinced that everything was going to be okay. If he was honest with himself, neither was Phil. But he knew Dark- at least, he knew the guy well enough to trust him not to come after Dan's ego. Dan hadn't experienced anything he had in that Void, and even when Phil tried to share the details, Dan didn't really want to hear any of it.

So he guessed that Dan's fears were justified enough, in his own head...

"It's from his girlfriend," Dan said aloud as he read the short message. "She says... wait... okay, come here, I don't get it,"

Phil raised his eyebrow. "What do you mean you 'don't get it'?"

"It says that Darkiplier wanted to reach out to you because he's living in America currently," Dan frowned. "But then she also says that Dark can't travel in his current condition- she wants to know when we're going to be in LA so we can meet with him,"

"Ooh, really?" Phil asked, excited at the prospect of seeing Dark again. Having Dan around was still more than he could have ever asked for, but maybe Dark could bring a little more... life, to his experience. "I mean- I don't know why he wouldn't be able to travel but I think we should do it,"

Dan fixed him with a grim look, clearly thinking the opposite. "Really, Phil? This is a literal demon,"

"So? I made friends with  _your_  demon," Phil countered. "He's not bad, Dan, he's actually really nice,"

"I mean..." Dan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I... I guess we can see him, but we're not going to be in LA for another two weeks, Phil. Should we tell them we'll drop in on the day of the show, or should we risk missing Seattle by visiting them the day after?"

"I guess it depends how long they want to catch up for," Phil sighed, not really having an answer. "Look- why don't we call them and find out?"

Phil called the number that Amy had given them, waiting patiently for a response. Before long, there was an answer- he'd panicked briefly about timezones before he realised that it was actually much earlier in Los Angeles than it was on this side of the country.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Amy, right?" Phil asked, just to make sure.

"Yeah- is this Phil?"

"Right," Phil smiled in relief, "Dan's here too- we just got your email, and we were just wondering when a good time for visiting would be- because I'd really like to catch up with Dark, but the tour's a bit hectic right now, so..."

Amy laughed nervously on the other end of the line. "I thought you might be busy- you don't have to come if it's a bother, it's just... well, I didn't want to send too much information in case the email was leaked but... Dark's having a baby,"

Phil's eyes widened in shock, and Dan sighed in disbelief. "He's having a  _baby_? Here? Whose is it?"

"What?" Dan grimaced, confused.

"It's Anti's baby," Amy explained, and Phil met Dan's eyes with a start. Anti's baby? But... who was carrying the baby, and how did they even get to this point, and...  _what_?

"Um... how?"

"It's... complicated," Amy sighed. "But he's the pregnant one- he's pretty far along too, which is why he can't really visit you. What are your Cali tour dates like?"

"We've got San Diego on the eighth of August," Dan sighed, looking like he was still trying to wrap his head around the pregnancy. "Then we've got LA on the ninth- but we've got Seattle on the eleventh and that's going to be hard to work around,"

Amy winced a little in sympathy. "Sheesh, guys... that's rough. But... well, Dark's not the only reason we wanted your help. You see- Mark and Seán have these other egos too, and Dark said you might be able to shed some light on possessing their real bodies,"

"Yeah," Phil muttered, not entirely trusting himself to speak. "I... I guess we've got experience with that. But... why would they  _want_  to be possessed? Who wants to possess them?"

"It's the doctors," Amy replied. "I've been organising their wedding, but Mark and Seán don't necessarily want to be there for the wedding night, if you catch my drift,"

Dan swallowed uncomfortably, remembering all too well his own experience with non consensual ego hijacking shenanigans. Sometimes he could still feel his lips burning, though the wounds were long healed. "Oh, I caught the drift,"

"Well, I'd have to ask Blaze about it, really..." Phil sighed, running a hand through his hair. "And I don't really know how to contact him, but... hey Dan, you can talk to Daniel, right?"

Dan shuddered. "I haven't been able to sense him at all since May, Phil- I think he's been ignoring me,"

"Well, we'll work on it," Phil promised. "I can't wait to see him again- so much has happened!"

Amy chuckled in return. "Yeah, I'll say. But it must be late for you- I'll let you go. Just, keep in touch, alright?"

"Yeah, we will,"

The phone call ended. As if on cue, Dan let out a long winded sigh.

"I...  _what_?"

"I don't really get it either," Phil frowned. "I mean- I didn't think guys could get pregnant, unless Dark's secretly a trans man and we don't know about it. But... it's only been two months, how can he be 'far along'?"

"I'm still hung up on the fact that Dark and Anti were fighting in our goddamn dressing room the other month," Dan sighed in distress. "And now they're together- with a baby, for Christ's sake..."

"And the doctors are getting married?" Phil queried, though he smiled all the same. "I mean, I knew there was no way they weren't together, but..."

"Phil, I have literally no clue what you're talking about," Dan grimaced. "Just... Fuck, I'm tired. Let's talk about this in the morning, okay?"

Phil gave him a small, appreciative smile. "Okay... thanks for agreeing to let us visit. I kind of want to stay for the wedding, too, but... we didn't really give ourselves much time between cities, huh?"

Dan snorted in response, making his way to his bed. "No, we didn't... Night Phil,"

Phil smiled warmly, already planning out the next few weeks in his head. "Night Dan,"

Dan didn't go to sleep. He closed the door behind him, locking it, and then made his way to the bathroom. His breathing hitched in his throat as he considered the implications of what he was about to do- but he needed to do this. Daniel had never been silent for this long- sure, he'd toned it down a bit when Dan was making a recovery, but the second voice in his mind never actually went away entirely.

It was... almost  _lonely_ , these past two months.

Dan reached under the bathroom sink, feeling for the piece of blu-tack he'd stuck onto the sharp edge of the tiled basin when he'd first discovered it. It was a design flaw- one that had almost caused Dan to slice open his knee when he'd slipped in here on his first day- but now he was removing the protective padding, his mouth dry and his skin tingling.

He'd never thought he'd be the kind of person to cut for attention. But here he was, lining up his ankle, and before he could talk himself out of it he kicked the basin. Hard.

He bit back tears as the familiar rush of exhilaration hit him, the telltale sign of blood leaking from his ankle, and  _ouch_ , fuck... It had always hurt less on his arms.

But there was no denying it- Daniel had heard his cry, and now he was here. Dan could feel the medication seizing up in his chest, and he looked himself in the mirror, daring the demon to come forth.

"I-  _fuck_ \- I know you're here, why aren't you talking to me?!"

**_'You scared the everloving fuck out of me, you know that? I thought another demon had gotten their hands on you- why would you hurt yourself like this?!'_ **

"Because you're ignoring me!" Dan growled. "What the fuck, Daniel- you can't just leave me alone like that with no idea what's happening..."

**_'I had thought you wouldn't appreciate my input, considering how I used your body the last time we spoke.'_ **

"Well a little explanation would have been nice," Dan huffed, reaching down to knead his torn skin softly. "Before you go- I need... well, Phil needs to get in contact with Blaze- can you send him over or what?"

Dan felt a surge of second hand anger rush through him. 

**_'Blaze is dead. He's been gone for two months, actually. Thanks to the fact that you two never go back to an idea after you've tried it out, he might never come back at all. Why should I help you?'_ **

"He's dead?!" Dan hissed. "What... how? What do you mean- it's  _our_ fault?"

**_'His presence relies on the amount of people that care for him, you idiot. It's been over a year since his mention on the internet, and I'd bet that's the entire reason he hasn't returned yet. If you two could give him a damn shoutout, or make another video, or- fuck, I don't know. Anything could help him get back...'_ **

Dan knew that calling out again was futile, but he tried anyway. Daniel was gone- he'd been abandoned once again, and now Dan was slowly bleeding out from his ankle with even less answers than before...

Dead? He wasn't aware egos could die- but then, he wasn't aware they could come back to life, either. What had Daniel meant, telling him that Blaze just needed a little more fame?

He grimaced, pulling out his phone and opening his tumblr. If Daniel really thought this would help... well, Phil did need to talk to his ego. If this could bring Blaze back, it might be worth the drama it would cause in the fandom.

He liked and reblogged the first picture of AblazingPhil he found- and  _yeesh_ , it was over a year old... Hopefully, this would make a good difference.

In the meantime, he really was tired. He pulled on a pair of socks to hide his little scar (Daniel must have absorbed the wound somehow) and climbed into bed, turning his phone on silent. He didn't want to be reminded any more of what had happened in May than necessary...

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"What's wrong?" Anti asked, breaking from the embrace for the second time tonight due to one of Dark's whimpers of pain. Though the demon had waved him off before, this time... well, Anti didn't want to hurt him. He needed to know if Dark was actually okay- was he getting worn out? Was he tired? Was Anti pushing him too hard?

Anti bit his lip worriedly as Dark gave him a half-certain smile, caressing Anti's cheek softly.

"Nothing, I'm just... sensitive," Dark mumbled under his breath, seemingly embarrassed. "Really, I'm fine,"

"No you're not," Anti countered, folding his arms. "Where does it hurt?"

Dark glanced over at Mark and Tyler, who had been shooting them not-so-subtle warning glares whenever they got too touchy. Really, as if Dark would let this escalate without Seán's permission... though he supposed maybe they had no grounds to trust the demon, especially after what had happened in May...

"My breasts," Dark confided, the words still feeling a little alien on his lips. "I've started producing colostrum in preparation for breastfeeding, and they're... rather swollen. But I am not sure of what to do about this, even though they are causing me discomfort..."

"Does that mean she's due soon?" Anti asked curiously, a hint of worry in his tone.

"Not necessarily," Dark denied carefully. "Amy and I were looking into it today- some women start making colostrum as early as four months into their pregnancy- though it often signifies that labour is coming. Regardless, we decided that expressing was hardly going to be productive, and it comes with the risk of inducing early labour... While Desiree is remarkably well-developed already, she would still be a very premature baby if she were to be born this soon,"

"But it's causing you pain," Anti frowned sadly. "Is there a way I can help?"

"Well, I..." Dark sighed. "I mean... possibly. But only if you truly want to assist- I was actually going to take care of it later on my own, but..."

_'I don't think he'll be entirely into this,'_

_ 'What's the harm in telling him, though? He did ask,' _

_'Yes, but... It just seems so strange of a favour,'_

_ 'Really, Damien, what are you worried about? It's not even sexual, it's just going to help get rid of the pressure,' _

_'But he'll see it as sexual, I just... don't want this to be weird...'_

"I don't mean this in a sexually intimate way," Dark uttered, trying not to let Mark overhear the conversation. "But... well, while expressing might be too direct, I was thinking of... just, kneading them until it's lessened up, you know?"

"You mean like this?" Anti asked, inching one of his hands up Dark's torso and giving the raised flesh a little squeeze. He'd thought he was being rather gentle, but at Dark's small hiss of pain, he quickly withdrew his hand. Just how sensitive was he really?

"P-perhaps a little softer," Dark mumbled in response, grasping Anti's other hand in his own as the glitch pressed into Dark's breast again, more gently than before. That... that was better...

He couldn't help the little sigh of relief that emanated from his lips as he relaxed, feeling Anti's lips trailing from his neck up to his mouth, letting his body slowly sink into the couch...

"Okay, you two can get a room," Mark groaned in frustration- Dark had almost forgotten he was still there. "I don't fuck on that couch, neither can you. Is Seán okay with you doing this?"

Dark opened his eyes lazily, feeling Anti stiffen slightly and remove his hand. Though it wasn't Anti anymore- it was Seán, with his bright blue eyes, looking a little torn. He met Dark's gaze, biting his lip nervously.

"I mean..." Seán sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I... I'm not really opposed to it, but... how far were you planning on going?"

Dark didn't know how to respond- really, he hadn't wanted to make this any more sexual than it needed to be, but after a few moments, he realised that it wasn't him that Seán was asking.

The Irishman tittered under his breath, though nobody had spoken aloud. "I... okay, that's... fine. Just... if it escalates beyond that, use a condom for the love of God... and brush your teeth!"

Mark's eyes widened at the implications of that sentence- but nobody in the room paid him any mind. Tyler was yawning to himself, checking the time, and- wow, no wonder he was tired. It was almost one in the morning.

"Okay, well Tyler and I are going to his place," Mark said pointedly, giving Dark a meaningful glance. "We'll be back before lunchtime tomorrow- Seán, make sure he doesn't-"

"It'll be  _fine_ , Mark," Seán dismissed, waving him off without concern. "I'm a consenting adult,"

Mark groaned aloud. "Just... fine.  _Fine_. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Seán's eyes flickered green again as he smiled, turning his attention back to Dark.

"Maybe Jack's not so bad after all," Anti hummed, resuming his position in Dark's lap as the front door swung shut behind the pair. They were alone... well, aside from Seán, of course...

"What exactly did you tell him we were going to do?" Dark queried, and the sensation of Anti's breaths hitting his neck was driving him more than a little crazy. Anti chuckled, kissing Dark sweetly on the lips as his fingers roamed his skin, dipping softly beneath the hem of Dark's trousers.

"You'll find out," Anti teased smugly. "Now, this doesn't really seem like a comfortable place to be... how much... uh, colostrum, are you making?"

"Enough that I feel as though my skin is bursting," Dark sighed unwittingly. "I haven't the slightest idea of how quickly it is being produced, but... if I could get rid of some of it now, it would certainly be helpful,"

"Don't worry," Anti smiled reassuringly, standing from his seat in Dark's lap. "Here, lie down... I'll get you a cushion..."

"You really are too good to me," Dark mused, letting Anti pick his numb legs up as he went from sitting upright to lying on his back. "If it's not... too much trouble, could you... perhaps, find another cushion for my back?"

"Of course," Anti called, using the one he'd picked up already to prop Dark's head on comfortably. "I'll have to get one from your room, is that okay?"

"It's perfect," Dark smiled in return, closing his eyes and sighing comfortably. Though he couldn't feel one of his legs, the other certainly seemed to be benefiting from some movement after so long sitting upright- he wondered briefly if he should have persuaded Anti to move them to the bedroom itself, but he digressed. The glitch sounded as though he had a plan, after all- though Dark didn't know if he was particularly up for much activity tonight. He was barely able to bring himself to spend the night releasing the pre-milk from his sore and swollen breasts, let alone participate in whatever Anti had up his sleeve.

But for Anti's sake, he would try. It had been over three weeks since their last intimate encounter, after all, and Dark hated to admit he was having withdrawals. Even if he didn't feel up to it now, he was sure he'd be begging for Anti before long- his touch, his kiss, everything about that man drove him wild...

He felt familiar hands lifting him up, pushing a soft cushion underneath him, and he adjusted himself slightly on the couch, sinking into place.

"This okay?" Anti asked delicately.

"It's lovely," Dark affirmed, letting Anti crawl onto the sofa with him, planting his knees either side of Dark's hips.

"I've missed being close to you," Anti admitted, entwining his fingers with Dark's own as he smiled down, his faded green hair tickling Dark's forehead softly. "Having you to myself... it just isn't... it isn't the same without moments like these,"

"Would you like to spend more time together when I return?" Dark asked hopefully. "I've missed you too, Anti... very much."

"That'd be really, really nice," Anti breathed, leaning down to kiss Dark firmly, parting his lips and letting Dark's tongue slide lazily inside. Anti bit down on it gently, chuckling along with Dark as the kiss stopped momentarily, resting close to each other and basking in each other's soothing energy.

"I love you," Anti mumbled again, feeling Desiree kicking at his lower abdomen as he smiled into Dark's chest.

"And I you," Dark responded, pressing a hand to his bump reassuringly. Desiree seemed rather excited to have both of her parents so close to her, but her gentle wriggles were sending fire through Dark's veins. His chest felt tight and bloated, his bladder a little crushed, but he wouldn't trade this feeling for anything- Anti was here, and their baby was here, and they were together alone for the first time ever... a  _family_.

"Do you want me to take your shirt off?" Anti asked softly, his whispered breaths sending shivers through Dark's spine.

"If you would like to," Dark swallowed, letting Anti tug the clothing over his head, revealing the second layer of fabric that Dark was only now adjusting to wearing. A thin piece of cotton, stretched to its maximum capacity, holding Dark's disposable breast pads in place on his torso. Anti raised an eyebrow.

"Not exactly the sexiest lingerie out there," Anti chuckled teasingly, and Dark flushed. Perhaps one day, he'd surprise Anti with a proper set of lace undergarments, but for now he was content with this comfortable, lazy intimacy. Neither of them were trying too hard, and Dark could appreciate that- they were here, loving each other for who they really were. Strange pregnancy and possession clauses and all.

"Oh, hush..." Dark couldn't help but smile, and Anti pulled the tube over Dark's head as well, removing the pads. It certainly felt... relieving, in a way. Dark hadn't realised just how tightly that ring of fabric had fastened to his skin, but now that his breasts were free, he certainly felt a lot less constricted than before. He breathed a sigh of exhausted relief.

"That's better, isn't it?" Anti smiled, hand trailing up Dark's torso to rest, cupping one of Dark's swollen lumps of breast tissue. Dark closed his eyes tentatively, hissing a little in pleasure when Anti's fingers brushed over one of his overly sensitive nipples.

"Y-yes..." Dark agreed, breathing a little haggardly. "Please, Anti... I don't think I can handle much t-teasing, tonight..."

"Sorry," Anti winced, letting his other hand drift up to grasp Dark as well, before giving both of Dark's breasts a gentle squeeze.

Clear fluid flowed in a trickle from Dark's nipples as he let out a long, breathy groan, sinking even further into the cushioned sofa. " _Fuck_..."

"Is that good?" Anti asked in response, fingers ghosting teasingly over Dark's chest as the demon nodded feebly, reaching for Anti's hands. He pressed them further into the flesh of his breasts, sighing again when more pre-milk was released from his ducts. This was certainly effective, though to Dark's dismay, he found that he was liking the stimulation a little too much- already, he could feel the damp building up in his boxers, and he shifted needily under Anti, trying to find a more comfortable position.

Anti licked his lips nervously, leaning down so that he was face to face with Dark. His eyes were a deep blue... was that Damien? Now that Anti had discovered who Dark really was, he couldn't help but wonder if the two siblings, Damien and Celine, were separate enough that they shone through Dark's personality in different ways. He wanted to explore Dark again, find out the correlation between the red and the blue, but Dark hadn't wanted him to pry... he only hoped that one day, Dark would trust him with the information.

He forced the thoughts away.

"Can I... can I try something?" Anti asked, feeling Dark as he guided his hands across the rough, grey skin that was the demon's chest. Dark's eyes were closed in bliss, but he gave a slight nod to indicate his agreement.

"Mhm..."

Dark didn't know what he was expecting- he was far too lost in the feeling of Anti's gentle hands on his breasts, kneading the pain away, the temperate moisture dripping steadily down his body. But he hadn't expected a warm, wet chasm to descend- latching onto one of Dark's areolas, while Anti continued to knead softly at the other mound of sensitive flesh. The glitch gave a little nip, then a suck, twirling his tongue around Dark's nipple, and the demon practically melted in his place.

" _Oh_..." Dark moaned, opening his eyes to chance a glance at what was happening. Anti was looking up at him, smiling in satisfaction, his tongue flicking across the darkened flesh... and then he was suckling again, and Dark could feel the pre-milk steadily draining from his right breast, the hot, desperate sensation pooling between his legs only getting stronger by the second. He hadn't felt this stimulated in... forever, it seemed. He almost felt like he was already on the edge of orgasm- but surely he could last longer than this.

One thing was certain- the hopes of this intimacy remaining pure had been dashed to pieces. Dark... he wanted to come. He needed release- from the puddle of arousal pooling in his abdomen as well as the excess pre-milk that had built up in his breasts.

Anti let out a contented hum as he released his grasp on Dark's nipple, taking the other into his mouth, and  _ah_... his lips were swollen red, his chin shiny with excess fluid, and then they were kissing again. He tasted sweet, like syrup, and Dark was left to wonder if that was yesterday's sugary breakfast coming through in liquid form. He knew it was probably gross and certainly taboo, but he couldn't help himself from licking into Anti's mouth, savouring the taste as Anti gagged a little on his tongue.

Anti didn't seem to mind the feeling either, but Dark knew he had to stop this before it got too out of control- this was an act that shouldn't be exclusively about sex, at least, in his eyes. After all, he would eventually have to feed his daughter this way, and he wasn't so sure he wanted to associate this overwhelming pleasure with his baby girl.

He reluctantly stopped Anti from dipping back down, trailing his lips across the glitch's neck and shoulder, tugging the simple grey tee Seán had been wearing up and over Anti's head.

"N-no..." Dark muttered, shifting a little to avoid grinding too hard on Anti in his current state of arousal. "That's... amazing, but I... we shouldn't..."

Anti, if a little put out, seemed to understand. They kissed again, and again, and then Anti was back to kneading Dark's remaining colostrum out of his body, pressing soft smooches along the bottom of Dark's jawline. He was so patient, and caring, and gentle... Dark didn't know what he'd done to deserve a man like this.

"Can I use my mouth on you in other places, then?" Anti whispered, trailing his hand down to rest on the front of Dark's trousers. He wasn't stupid- he knew as soon as Dark had suggested this that the demon was going to get aroused, and he was definitely okay with providing that release. He knew he'd said he wanted to spend time with Dark without sex, but that wasn't what he really wanted... He'd just wanted intimacy, and love, and conversation, and there was truly nothing more intimate than what they were doing here.

This wasn't sex for the sake of it, Anti felt. This... this was deeper. They needed this just as much as they'd needed to talk earlier.

Dark was wet- unbelievably slick as Anti's hand dipped below his waistband, feeling the neatly tamed mass of hair that the glitch was so accustomed to trailing his fingers through. Yet this time, there was no shaft to be seen protruding from the pale flesh, no external organ for Anti to grasp and tug, to bring Dark to his breaking point. Like the first time Dark had wanted them to be together, his lower body was that of a woman's, and though Anti didn't have much experience with this body type, he was willing to learn everything for Dark's sake.

Every fold, every nook, every little thing that made Dark squirm with pleasure. Because while Dark was often male, Anti had discovered that he was sometimes female too. And he only wanted to be able to provide the best for both sides, like Dark would do for him in a heartbeat.

Dark jolted on instinct as Anti slipped his fingers gently between Dark's folds, holding them there for a moment while he waited for Dark's verbal consent.

Dark himself was panting heavily, sweating, resisting the overwhelming urge to buck up and let Anti slide inside of him- but between his gasps he nodded once more, letting his functional leg fall slack so that Anti could remove his trousers without hindrance.

"Only if you want to," Dark reminded, though his head was thrown back in pleasure as Anti thumbed over his clit, sliding Dark's boxers down until he was bare.

"I've given you head before- how is this any different?" Anti wondered aloud, shimmying backwards and moving Dark's legs to either side of him. He knelt down, ignoring the discomfort and pressure on his back, and proceeded to kiss gently up Dark's responsive thigh, the other one propped up on the back of the sofa.

"They are t-two separate actions," Dark stuttered, running one hand through Anti's hair while the other was still fondling his half-emptied breast. "Giving fellatio is a d-different experience entirely from giving c-cunnilingus..."

"I'll pretend to understand what you just said to me," Anti smiled softly, leaning in to kiss Dark on the lips a final time. He wasn't entirely sure if Dark would want to kiss him again after what he was about to do- but if it would feel as good as he imagined, he guessed it was worth it just to watch Dark fall apart in his arms. Still, he made sure that this kiss was memorable enough to last, snaking his arms around Dark's middle and playing idly with the hair on the back of his scalp.

"The t-technique is m-much different, Anti..." Dark muttered after they'd parted. "Women's genitals a-are much more s-sensitive to some actions than to others..."

"What do you like?" Anti questioned, slipping his fingers back to where they'd been before, taking pleasure in the way that Dark's hips quivered needily at the touch.

Dark didn't entirely know what he liked... Really, the only people he'd even let  _see_ his female form were Seán and Anti- and Seán was hardly going to remember what had happened that night, even if Dark wanted him to. And Anti... Dark had wanted to cut right to the chase the first time they were together. There was no time for exploration- well, he'd let Anti use his fingers to prepare him, but that was much too similar to having regular intercourse.

It wasn't that Dark didn't like regular intercourse- but he had a feeling Anti wanted another answer. He bit his lip nervously.

 _"When I was... with William,"_  Dark spoke softly, as if he were scared to mention the name.  _"Before I was part of this form, I... I liked it when he used his tongue on me while he fingered me open..."_

Anti looked a little puzzled, but made to comply anyway. "William?"

"W-Wilford," Dark corrected, gasping when Anti kissed his way from Dark's belly-button to his pelvis. "P-please, Anti, I can't...  _oh...!_ "

Anti's tongue was warm and wet, hot against the sensitive folds of Dark's lower lips as he buried the muscle between them, licking gently along the main crevice. It had been so long, so many years since someone had taken the time to pleasure him this way- almost a century, and here Anti was, not even breaking a sweat, not even making a big show of how amazing he was to do this... Like it was something he just wanted to do. For the sake of making Dark happy.

Dark had never felt more loved.

"Mmh..." Dark breathed, unable to see exactly what Anti was doing down there because of his bump- but he could see the fronds of Anti's hair poking up, curling around Dark's fingers, and he could  _feel_... he could feel Anti pressing gently around his hole, spreading the soft flesh with his thumb as he teased Dark with the tips of his fingers. His tongue was swirling around Dark's clit, flicking it gently, his lips catching on Dark's skin and his beard tangling with Dark's tidily trimmed hairs. 

Anti hummed in response, flicking his tongue faster and pressing his fingers deeper, just as he'd done on that first night. But this time, he seemed a lot more comfortable with what he was doing- Dark felt immeasurably proud.

But he also felt immeasurably close to the edge, and he became conscious of the slew of words emanating from his mouth as he gripped harder, moaned louder, each shudder sending him further into his heavenly trance. He was almost ashamed to let himself release so soon- but he was so sensitive, and Anti was driving him absolutely mad with pleasure.

_"Ohh... yes, f-fuck, harder..."_

"You're so f-fucking wet..." Anti breathed, coming up for air, but keeping his fingers buried to the knuckle inside Dark, mouthing hotly at the skin surrounding his sex. "And  _tight_... fuck, Dark, you feel so good..."

 "C-curl your fingers, Anti," Dark urged, knowing that by now all of his pre-milk was gone, but he still pinched and rubbed at his swollen nipples in effort to give him more pleasure.

Anti obliged, curling his fingers upwards, and-  _Oh_ , that's the spot...

"R-right there," Dark panted, feeling the heat building up, the tension rising, his toes curling inwards as Anti hit Dark's sweet spot again, tongue swirling again around and across Dark's clit, sending him over the edge, and-

_"Ah, f-fuck!"_

Dark felt tingles sprinting up his leg, across his thigh, the heat growing almost too much to bear, and then- then, it ceased. Dark relaxed, not having realised just how stiff and tense his muscles had become, his pelvis quivering as it was lowered gently into the cushions on the sofa.

"Wow, I..." Anti started, coughing a little to clear his throat. "Schneep told me female orgasms were a myth..."

Dark laughed lazily, his brain a little foggy, letting Anti climb back into his initial position on the sofa. They were nose to nose, forehead to forehead, breathing into each other's mouths as Dark felt himself growing intoxicated by the scent of sex in the air.

"Henrik wouldn't know a female orgasm if it hit him in the face," Dark chuckled, and Anti let out a content little sigh in response.

"That  _did_  hit me in the face," Anti pointed out, though he couldn't help but giggle softly at the very idea of Schneep sleeping with a woman. "How... how was it? Better than Wilford?"

"It was amazing," Dark chuckled, caressing Anti's cheek gently with his thumb. "Wilford doesn't hold a candle to you, dear... Thank you, really... I didn't know how much I had needed that..."

Anti blushed, smiling, resting his lips on Dark's forehead in a soothing gesture. "It's a good thing I've picked up on when you need a nice fuck, huh?"

Dark snorted under his breath, fingers tangling delicately in Anti's fringe. "Please Anti, never change... is there something I can do for you in return?"

"I..." Anti swallowed thickly. "I mean... only if you're up to it..."

"Oh, my dear..." Dark mused, bringing Anti's thighs closer to him, unbuttoning his jeans. "If I hadn't been up to it, I wouldn't have offered,"


	23. Chapter 22

**~Void~**

"Darky..."

Anti rubbed his thumb carefully across Dark's cheek as the demon slept, his deep black hair a little matted with sweat, his lips parted slightly and emanating soft snores... Dark was so beautiful when he slept. Anti hadn't realised until now that he'd never seen Dark so much as take a day nap in all the long years they'd been friends- unfortunately, Jack had resumed control the last time they'd fallen asleep together, so Anti had never seen this soft, vulnerable side of his lover in great detail... but that was all worth it, just to have this moment now.

He was actually surprised that Jack had let him stick around for so long this time- he'd fallen asleep cuddled up to Dark, the smell of sex and sweat burning on his skin, and he'd expected to awaken in the Void like he usually did- cold and lonely. But this time... he was still here. He was here, and he was with Dark, and in a strange way it almost felt like home...

"I love you..." Anti cooed softly, pressing a kiss to Dark's temples and watching some of the sleeping man's wrinkles melt away, happiness bubbling within his heart.

As if on cue, Anti felt a kick on his palm where he'd rested it against Dark's tummy. He couldn't help but chuckle under his breath, caressing the firm skin gently, wondering if his daughter could hear him.

"I love you too, Desiree..." Anti reassured, feeling his cheeks split into a grin. She certainly seemed happy to hear it, pushing with all her might into Anti's touch, the green glow she was emitting growing ever brighter. He pulled Dark closer, spooning him softly, nestling his head in the crook of the demon's neck.

He'd always been a little spoon- there was just no contest. Anti really liked being held, awake or asleep, and Dark had always been more than happy to oblige him the comforting embrace- even before they were together. However, he found that being Dark's big spoon was equally as satisfying and comfortable, in a strange but soothing way.

"Look at us..." Anti mused, fingertips brushing softly against Dark's lower abdomen. "Here together... in the Groundlands of all places, hah... It's been... it's been rough, hasn't it?"

Anti didn't know who he was talking to- was it Dark, or himself, or was it his baby? Was it Jack, who he knew was listening in? It didn't matter. The words kept spilling from him, like he was a leaky faucet that couldn't hold it in anymore.

"I'm sorry..." Anti mumbled with a sigh, pressing little kisses along Dark's bare shoulder and his arm, drawing him even closer until there was no space between them on the sofa. "For being so selfish... I realise it now, you know? That all this time... being worried about my habits and what I'm doing... it's not healthy. I get it..."

Anti let out a shuddering breath. "And I know it feels like... like nothing is going well for me, but being here with you, I... I see that's a lie. It's... it's a convincing one, but... how can I believe it when I've got you?"

Desiree kicked at Anti's hand again, and though she probably didn't understand the weight of Anti's problems, he found himself thankful for her presence anyway. He nuzzled Dark's neck affectionately, pressing through the skin of Dark's abdomen as if he wanted to pick his daughter up and hold her.

"When I've got  _both_ of you..." Anti whispered, smiling through the tears that had started to well in his eyes. "I can't... I can't imagine why you'd want me after... after everything, but... but you do... I'm just so... thankful for this second chance, even if... even if I suck at saying it..."

"... I think you put it wonderfully, darling..." Dark whispered suddenly, leaning back slightly into Anti's touch and chuckling softly at the glitch's flinch of surprise. Anti jumped a little, before groaning to himself and burying his head in Dark's shoulder shamefully.

"Sorry... I didn't want to wake you up," Anti mumbled quietly, feeling Dark's hand brush smoothly against his own.

"It was hardly your fault, dear," Dark smiled, entwining his fingers with Anti's, pressing both hands to his stomach. "Our child is very excitable, rather like a certain someone I love,"

Anti buried his red face in Dark's shoulder, unable to stop smiling at the fact that Dark still loved him... after everything, he was still  _loved_. And if Anti was honest, knowing that Dark and Jack had slept together those few months ago wasn't stopping him from loving this man with all his heart either.

Dark chuckled again, turning around on his side, letting Anti adjust his grip so that the glitch's arms were around his waist, holding him in place. Desiree was nestled between them, rolling around and occasionally pressing at the walls of Dark's womb as if to make sure they were both still there. Anti didn't ever want to leave them again...

"I accept your apology, of course," Dark smiled appreciatively, resting his forehead gently against his lover's. "I can only hope you will accept mine in return..."

"Dark, you don't need to-"

"I know," Dark interceded gently, brushing his fingers lazily over Anti's cheek. "Neither did you, but... well, our thoughts get the better of all of us sometimes, don't they?"

Anti sighed in defeat. "Yeah, I... I guess..."

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner about who I really am," Dark insisted, thumbing over Anti's chin softly. "About Damien, and Celine, and... and Tenebreux... I had thought it would be easier for you to deal with me if I was only one person to you, but I've found that perhaps pushing their individuality aside is not the answer..."

"Shh, one thing at a time," Anti said, kissing Dark softly on the lips and swelling with exhilaration as Dark returned the gesture, losing himself in the closeness they were maintaining. They broke apart with a little smacking sound, gazing lazily into each other's eyes. "I... I'm sorry if you already said something about it that I missed, but... Tenebreux? Who's that?"

"Tenebreux is... he's the demon that holds this form together," Dark explained, and Anti could hear the choking grip of regret in his tone. "He... he is rather short tempered and childish, but he is intelligent and powerful in his own right. I didn't tell you about him, simply because... well, I didn't want you to try and befriend him. He doesn't want to associate with you, or  _anyone_ for that matter, Anti... he leaves most menial tasks up to Damien and Celine, and focuses on keeping this body healthy with his time. I didn't... I didn't want his apathy to hurt you..."

"Oh..." Anti whispered, blinking a few times as Dark traced his jawline idly. "So he... he doesn't want to know me, huh?"

"He is impartial," Dark sighed, looking just a little guilty. "He's had... a hard time opening up, even to the other souls in this form. He would prefer not to get attached, but... but that doesn't stop me from wanting you,  _needing_  you..."

Anti let out a small laugh, running a hand through Dark's hair. "I don't mind..." he told his lover truthfully. "It... it doesn't change anything between us, so it shouldn't matter..."

"So it shouldn't," Dark agreed. "But I am also sorry for taking control of you... manipulating you the way I did. Trying to force you into staying by my side, trying to make you want to never leave... it wasn't right of me, Anti. I promise you- I will never disregard your thoughts and desires again..."

"And I'll never lose trust in you again," Anti promised, giving Dark a sad, but reassuring smile. "I won't... I won't let myself fuck it up a second time..."

And despite Dark having already forgiven him, Anti could see the demon's eyes shine just a little brighter in response to the vow. They were a nice, deep purple today. Calm, and stable, and gorgeous...

"I love you," Anti said again, worrying that he was being too repetitive.

Dark only chuckled in return, leaning in to kiss Anti softly on the nose. "I love you too. I could listen to you telling me that all day, Antithesis... I could never be bored of someone like you,"

There was a knock on the door, and the lovers broke apart hastily, remembering that they were technically under instruction not to get too touchy. Well, it wasn't that they regretted what had happened last night, but rather that getting caught together like this probably wouldn't end well for either of them.

"Hey Dark! You decent?"

Anti felt Dark relax around him, having realised just who had come to see them. It wasn't Mark, nor that ego Xyler's original- it was only Amy.

"Yes!" Dark called in return, though he didn't make any move to get up. Anti had to admit, when he first saw Amy, he'd done a double-take. He hadn't seen her ego Peevils in over a year- though he'd had more than a few run-ins with her after he left Dark and the manor behind. She'd never ceased her gloating- telling him Dark never loved him, that falling for the demon was a mistake, asking if he was banished for making a move like she was... that  _bitch_. She was one of the few people Anti had no regrets behind stabbing in the throat.

But Amy was so nice, and kind, and happy... her hair was a deep brown, not the shocking pink tangle that Peevils wore. She and that wench, they... they were two completely different people. Just like he and Jack were two different people.

Anti supposed that was a good thing, considering just how friendly she and Dark seemed to be. Strangely, her company made Anti feel a little more... relaxed, knowing that Dark wasn't all alone here.

"Hey," Amy said, walking into the room and raising an eyebrow at the loved up couple lying together on the sofa. "Anti?"

"Hi," Anti greeted shyly, still feeling a little guilty for acting so defensive around her at first. She'd done nothing to deserve it, after all.

She smirked at the pair, folding her arms teasingly. "Mark's gonna kill you- you didn't do anything on his couch, did you?"

"Nothing that he knows about," Dark chuckled, and to Anti's surprise, Amy only grinned in return. Anti supposed that she wasn't entirely on board with the whole 'keep Dark and Anti from fucking' thing that Mark seemed to have adapted into his daily routine.

"Well, what he doesn't know won't kill him," she shrugged, sending Anti a sly wink. "Oh, he wanted me to drop in and ask- did you two want to come see the set for the Warfstache sketch?"

"Warfstache sketch?" Anti repeated, clueless, meeting Dark's equally confused gaze as he snorted. "What, is he posing as a nude model again?"

"Again?" Amy echoed, apparently torn between laughter and concern. "Okay, you have to tell me about that one later- but still, I need to know now if you two are coming with me, I'm just here to pick up a prop he left behind,"

"Are we going to be in a studio all day?" Dark queried, hand never once leaving Anti's cheek. Now that he had the glitch, he was hardly going to let him go. They had never been so stable together, never so content with each other... he wasn't going to trade this for the world.

Amy shrugged. "Who knows with Mark, honestly... usually he's pretty good at wrapping up filming but he's been working really hard on this one. Maybe you two can have a nice day out, go to the park- staying inside all the time can't be good for you,"

Dark and Anti exchanged a wary look with each other, then turned to face Amy with concern. "A day out?" Dark asked, a little uncertainly. "I... I can't go out looking like this, Amy,"

"And I'll get recognised," Anti pointed out, gesturing to himself, bright eyes shining despite the excuse. "Jack's too popular, I can't just-"

"Well, I have one solution," Amy interrupted, walking over and rummaging through an open box that was in the corner of the room. She pulled out a thick, black hoodie, removing it from its plastic wrap and tossing it to Anti. He reluctantly withdrew his hands from Dark's embrace, looking it over. It seemed comfortable enough, if a little large...

"Here- it's part of Mark and Sean's new clothing brand," Amy smiled proudly. "As for your eyes... well, you could always say you're cosplaying."

"Clothing brand?" Anti echoed once more, feeling the smooth fabric between his fingers. "I mean... why not, I guess... but, cosplay? I don't think even the best cosplayers could pull something like this off-"

"As for you," Amy continued, looking at Dark. "You... you can just use your female form, right?"

Dark looked a little queasy as he chanced a look at Anti's face. He knew Anti would love him no matter what- whether he was a man or a woman, it didn't really matter to the glitch. But he hadn't let Anti see him in his female form just yet- what if he preferred it more? What if Dark had to change his physical form more often, showing it in front of everyone? In front of  _Will_...

"I..." Dark uttered nervously. "I'm not... Amy, he hasn't seen..."

Amy's eyes darted between the two. "Oh," she said simply.

"What?" Anti asked. "What haven't I seen?"

"My female figure," Dark sighed, biting his lip. "I... I can change my shape, to resemble Celine... the body you've grown accustomed to is that of Damien, but I can still switch between them, I just... I didn't know how you'd react to such a big change,"

"I'm sure you look beautiful as a woman," Anti put forward. "If that's what you're... worried about. But if you don't want to do it, that's okay, we can just... stay here,"

Dark could tell that Anti had been more than a little excited to get out and see the world. He could see it in how his eyes lit up, how his eyebrows twitched, how he'd deflated when Dark had voiced his concerns aloud.

This fear, this apprehension... it was rather silly, wasn't it? After all, it wasn't as if Dark wanted Anti to see him exclusively as male- they'd been quite intimate in both of Dark's forms before, in a way, but... transitioning completely into a female, letting Anti see that side of him... he couldn't lie to himself. He was scared.

_ 'He's not going to stop wanting you, Damien,' _

_'I know that, but I'm just... nervous,'_

_ 'It's just for today, alright? Can you handle it for today?' _

_'I... I guess, but... I'm going to have to trust you to keep us acting ladylike, Celine,'_

_ 'In this day and age, manners aren't really expected like they used to be. We'll be fine, Damien...' _

_'If you say so...'_

"I... okay," Dark sighed, rubbing his forehead softly, trying to get rid of the incoming migraine that hadn't quite left him alone since he'd realised he was expecting. "I can do that,"

Amy beamed at them. "Great- I've got to go and find that wig, why don't you two get ready? I should leave within half an hour,"

"Is this our first date?" Anti smirked cheekily, resting his hand on Dark's tummy again as Amy left the room. He knew it would hardly take that long for Amy to find whatever wig she was talking about, but he appreciated what she was doing for them. A day out... in a world where nobody knew them well enough to judge them. Where every place was new and exciting- where neither of them had to strain to enjoy themselves in a material environment.

He was excited, and though Dark seemed worried about showing his feminine side, Anti knew he'd warm up to it before long. They'd had many conversations in the past that had spiralled into reminiscing about the Groundlands, where Dark would grow misty-eyed, his tone whimsical, telling Anti about how wonderful it was to exist there...

Really, Anti was just excited to see his lover happy.

"It seems so," Dark smiled in return, already seeming to realise that the pros of going on this outing far outweighed the cons. "I... I think you should move first,"

"Right," Anti agreed, crawling over Dark's figure and standing, ready to help the demon to his feet. He grabbed Dark's crutches from where they'd fallen, turning around just in time to see Dark looking at his feet, puzzled. Anti was about to ask what was wrong, when Dark shifted, sitting upright with a frown. The motion seemed...  _smoother_ than usual.

"I... Anti, take my hand,"

Anti cocked his head to one side at the strange tone Dark had taken on. "Okay, just... here,"

Anti lifted him up.

And Dark's leg, his once unresponsive appendage... it was moving. He was standing. He was... healed?

Dark stumbled a little as he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Anti tightly- he was grinning through his nervous tears, chuckling breathlessly into Anti's shoulder. "This is  _excellent_ , darling..."

"I'm so happy you're getting better," Anti sighed in happy relief, patting Dark's back as he snuggled into the hug. "I was really, really worried about you, you know?"

"I'm fine, dear," Dark smiled down at him, steadying himself and patting the glitch's cheek gently. "Perfectly fine... now, I believe we have a date to get ready for,"

Anti couldn't help himself from smiling.

**~Void~**

"I didn't expect to find you lurking so close,"

Blank's eyes widened as he stopped throwing rocks, getting to his feet in an instant. That voice... it was so similar to King's own, yet also so distinctly robotic that he berated himself for feeling panicked in the first place- of course it wasn't his ex. He was just being stupid.

_It's just Google, you idiot..._

"What are you doing here?" Blank demanded, black eyes shining with tears as he wiped them furiously away, sending Google an apprehensive glare. He'd never hated the android- well, he'd never hated any of the other egos, but his relationship with Google was definitely better than his relationship with... say, Wilford. "Were you  _looking_  for me?"

"Of course I was looking for you!" Google sighed in apparent frustration, taking a step closer. He looked a little different to the last time Blank had seen him- the design on his shirt looked a little more modernised, and his hair looked a little more kept, but overall his changes weren't too obvious. "Xyler was worried about you, were you aware?"

Blank's breath hitched in his throat. "X-Xyler?"

Google rolled his eyes. "Yes, Blank. Xyler is deeply concerned about you."

Blank scowled, taking another step back. "I... I don't-"

"And Xyler is not the only one," Google continued in that eerie monotone he insisted on using. "King is also worried- not to mention Yandereplier and Chase Brody. Did you think about anyone but yourself when you left?"

"Is it a crime to think about myself?" Blank huffed, though he did still felt incredibly guilty for leaving how he did. Even if he wouldn't give Google the satisfaction of knowing that.

"Are you not concerned at all that others in this Void care about you?" Google asked him, apparently curious.

"No, w-why should they?" Blank sniffed, sitting down again. "I'm just... just m-me. Just a joke to E-Ethan, and just a laughing stock t-to everyone else..."

"That is not true," Google replied insistently. "My primary objective is to protect, serve and save. I am here to save you from yourself."

"Whoa- hey! Get off me!" Blank cried in alarm, kicking despite there being no hope of breaking free of Google's iron grip. The android had lifted him over his shoulder, holding him in place there, looking out into the distance as if he could see something Blank could not. "Put me down!"

"No." Google replied, smirking like he always used to do when he plotted the destruction of humanity. "This is a dangerous time. Darkiplier has left this Void, and so has Wilford. The rest of us egos are residing with Antithesis, and it is dangerous to be so far away from our only source of protection."

"I don't  _want_  to be protected!" Blank groaned. "I know it's dangerous- I fucking ran into Peevils and some bitch called Wiish already out here, and-"

"Peevils, hmm?" Google interrupted, looking a little concerned. "Well, it's lucky I found you this soon."

"Hey, I do  _not_  consent-" Blank insisted, before he realised something that made him pale. He thrashed a little more insistently, panic rising in his gut.

"Oh no- no, King's going to be there, I can't-!"

"You can and will." Google said with the air of finality. "This has gone on long enough, Blank. Besides, he will not likely want you back, if that is your concern. He is, after all, in another relationship now."

"Wait, what?" Blank uttered, knowing he shouldn't have felt this hurt considering they hadn't even spoken in a year. "He's in a... with  _who_?"

"Bim Trimmer," Google responded, and Blank could have sworn that evil smirk grew wider. His heart sank a little. Had King really already moved on? And... and Blank knew that he was getting irrational feelings, attachment to Xyler, but... part of him still didn't want to accept that what he and King had was over.

Blank shook himself out of it. He tried to use his signature escape manoeuvre- turning into dark, misty goo and teleporting away, but something was holding him back. Something was inhibiting him.

"What gives?!" Blank hissed angrily.

"I am sending an electrical current through your system," Google replied matter-of-factly. "It is disrupting your physical form, rendering your abilities useless. It is something I picked up on while dealing with Antithesis' relaxation therapy."

"Relaxation therapy?" Blank echoed, confused. "Antithesis? You mean Antisepticeye, right, the green haired guy that-"

"His real name is Antithesis," Google corrected. "But he prefers people he is not close with to call him 'Anti'. Be on your best behaviour- we are going to his house, after all."

"I guess I have no say in this, huh?" Blank sighed, resigning himself to the fact that he'd have to leave King twice. As soon as he could get away from Google's electrical manipulation shit, he was getting out of there- no doubt about it.

Google nodded silently, marching off into the distance as Blank scowled, closing his eyes.

As the two retreated into the darkness, Peevils sent them a look of disgust. She's been mildly curious about little BlankGamePlays- about what had caused him to wander so far from home again. She guessed she'd been waiting for some gossip, but instead she found something much more interesting. 

"Oh, great. That little green runt is taking over everything..."

"Hey, don't talk about Anti like that," Wiish interjected, fiddling idly with her dark stained knife. "You don't know him like I do,"

"I know him  _more_  than you do, Wiish," Peevils replied, rolling her eyes and tossing her pink hair out of her eyes. "Whatever. Dark's gone, and so is his side-dish Wilford. I'd say this is as good of a time as any to pay that jerk a visit. Maybe you'll have better luck than I did,"

Wiish smiled, flashing her white teeth. She'd never met Anti before- but Peevils had told her countless times about how she hated him, loathed him with everything she had. That her chances with Darkiplier had been thwarted by his attraction to that glitch- and how she'd been banished from the manor with no chance of redemption, forced to live in solitude until someone just like her came along to keep her company. Wiish knew nothing but Anti when she'd arrived here- knew she had to find him, to love him, to be with him forever. That's what the fans wanted of her, right?

And so she would find him, and take him, and make him hers. And perhaps even Peevils could have her man too, if Wiish could persuade Anti to break Dark's heart. Oh, yes, it was all coming together...

The two egos followed the android into the darkness, set on their way to cause trouble for the egos.

**~Groundlands~**

_'Why are you letting us do this?'_

Seán sighed under his breath, pulling on a short-sleeved shirt to go with the jeans he was sporting, eyeing the notable scar that was ever so prominent on his neck. He'd never really had to deal with it before- it usually just healed away when Anti stopped possessing him, so living with it was definitely a strange experience.

Heck, living with Anti in his head was a strange experience in itself.

"Because... well, I'm in LA for a reason, Anti, and today was my last day at Mark's house," he voiced, knowing that to anyone else he would sound crazy, talking to himself. "I'm heading off to stay with Robin for a while tomorrow, and you won't be able to possess me and talk to Dark whenever you want anymore. Plus, I have to get back into making videos- it's just... it's the last time you two can really enjoy yourselves together, and I'm not going to take that away..."

The voice inside his mind was quiet.

_'Oh...'_

"I mean, I'll still be coming around to check in on him," Seán said hastily, shrugging on his hoodie and checking his hair in the mirror. "It's not like you won't see him again, it just... won't be all the time anymore."

_'Okay... I didn't think after... everything I did to you, you'd want to... help me like this, you know?'_

"You mean the possessing thing?" Seán questioned, sighing to himself and turning to face the bedroom's en suite bathroom, where he knew Dark was worrying. "Don't worry about it, man, it's cool,"

_'... Really?'_

"I forgave you months ago," Seán said truthfully, "as soon as I realised you were... y'know, not a dick. Really, it's fine, Anti, just... make sure today's a good day,"

_'Don't need to tell me twice,'_

Seán chuckled to himself, taking one last look at his body before relinquishing control, feeling his eyes start to pulse and tingle with energy. He couldn't lie- this whole possession thing was weird and more than a little uncomfortable, but he could deal with it, if only for the sake of Dark and Anti's happiness. He imagined he'd feel even worse if he didn't let this happen, knowing that he had something he could do to help, but not taking advantage of it... this was a much better approach than just letting it go, Seán felt.

He'd deal with everything that those two wanted to do while he could- from snuggling, to making out, and apparently even to mildly sexual encounters. Last night had definitely been... strange. Seán felt a little guilty for not hating it as much as he should have, but... well, he was a man with needs, and now that he was single again, he guessed he was happy to settle for anything that would make this apparent abstinence easier for him to deal with.

And who was he to say no to the couple? Even though Dark seemed to be getting better, Seán still feared that he would soon fall into another bout of weakness, and he didn't have much hope that the man would survive twice... He could only pray it would never come to that. That the baby's birth would go smoothly, and they'd all go back to the Void to live as a happy family, with way too many uncles to count...

Anti knocked on the door cautiously, knowing that a very female Dark was standing in the room by now. The little sighs and groans he'd heard from outside sounded like those of a woman, anyway- and he'd gone in there with a pretty-looking floral dress that would hardly have fit Dark's large torso. Just how much did his body change when he transitioned from male to female? Anti was nervous, but he was also excited- bursting with exhilaration as he wondered just what Dark would look like as a woman.

"Come in,"

Wow, she sounded so  _different_ , but yet... so familiar that Anti was a little unnerved. It was Dark's tone- his slight accent, his drawl, his habit of muttering when he was uncomfortable. But... sweeter, though not too saccharine. Higher, but nowhere near as high as Amy's voice was. It was... nice, if a little strange to begin with.

Anti opened the door.

And there she was-

She was stunning- her hair falling loosely around her face, framing her rounded cheeks- only a little longer than it had been before the change. Her eyes were wider, her brows thicker, her lips painted merlot red, shining in the dim light of the vanity. Her eyeliner was dark and winged, the shadows around her eyes pronounced and contoured gently so that she looked rather elegant instead of sleep deprived.

Her skin was pale gray, mottled slightly in some places, and she was wearing a rose coloured dress that fell to her knees, a black floral overcoat sheltering her torso from the sunlight. She was so different, but yet... she was the same Dark that Anti knew and loved.

She looked rather nervous as Anti walked into the room, fidgeting with her overthrow and looking toward the ground. Perhaps she was self-conscious- Anti knew he could relate to the feeling, he'd seen that look of apprehension so many times before.

He reached out to take her hand. It was cold, and soft, and small... Anti had always had smaller hands than Dark, but now he could easily encompass Dark's petite fingers with his own, grasping them gently. She smelled... different, somehow. A little powdery, a little flowery, a little... sweeter. Not like wine, or chocolate, but Anti found he couldn't complain.

"Wow..." Anti smiled, still a little in awe over just how pretty Dark was capable of looking. Well, not that Dark wasn't handsome in his male form, of course- Anti didn't prefer one over the other quite yet, but this side of Dark was definitely one he wouldn't be opposed to seeing more often. Then maybe, they could mix and match... and Dark could dress up nice and wear makeup in his male form, and then she could wear a suit and tie in her female form... and if Dark could use his female organs on his male body, perhaps they could reverse that, and...

Anti shook himself out of that train of thought- Dark might not like the idea much, come to think of it.

"Are you really so speechless?" Dark mused softly, and  _oh..._  Anti really liked this. He liked this a  _lot_.

"You look really fucking beautiful," Anti uttered, using his free hand to lift Dark's chin. She was... shorter than him, now, and she looked up into his eyes with a hint of fear still swimming in the purple of her iris. As if she was afraid he'd turn her away, afraid of what Anti would say next.

But her cheeks darkened a little at the compliment and she smiled shyly, little dimples appearing beside her lips, and  _wow..._  Anti really wanted to kiss those lips. He inched forward, wrapping an arm around her back, and pulled her in gently, giving her plenty of room to leave the embrace if she didn't want it.

_Why wouldn't she want it? It's still Dark in there, just curvier and wearing more colour than usual..._

She definitely wanted it.

In fact, she took over almost immediately, sealing the gap between them and wrapping her thin arms around Anti's shoulders, heels coming off the floor to match the height she'd once stood at, kissing Anti with a gentle passion.

It was wetter than usual- though Anti wasn't complaining about that- and Dark's lips were fuller, more plump, her skin smooth and cold against the tip of Anti's nose, and then they were slipping apart, Dark smiling for the first time since she'd transitioned.

"You're going to ruin my lipstick," Dark chuckled, patting Anti on the shoulder with the same strength as always. "Do you... do you want to put some concealer on that?"

Anti had almost forgotten he had a scar to worry about- a  _scar_. The wound still bled from time to time, but in the past few days, it had been healing up wonderfully. It was still red, still a little enflamed, but it was hardly the fountain of blood that had been haunting him for the past two years, and though he didn't quite understand why it was getting better, he was definitely glad about it.

He fingered it gently, looking into the mirror with a small frown. He pulled his hood up, hoping that it would cast enough shade- but  _shit_ , that made the glowing of his eyes  _really_ stand out. He sighed reluctantly.

"I mean... probably," Anti smiled in defeat, watching as Dark opened up a little tube and smeared some of the pale liquid onto his throat. He was far too pale for this colour, but... well, it was less noticeable than the scarring, in any case. Dark's fingertips were just as smooth as her cheeks, her nails a little longer and shaped delicately, and she knew just where Anti was most sensitive as she pressed firmly, sending him a sly grin.

" _You like that_?" She smirked, trailing her fingers further along Anti's neck, trying to rub the concealer out so that it wasn't so obviously hiding something.

"Mhmm," Anti affirmed, closing his eyes briefly. "I mean, it hurts, but it's... a good hurt, you know?"

Dark chuckled under her breath, kissing Anti's cheek softly. "I know. Is Amy ready to leave yet?"

"She's probably been waiting for us for at least twenty minutes," Anti smiled, not even the least bit ashamed. "Are you ready to go?"

"I'm always ready to spend my time with you," Dark promised, linking their arms and walking out of the en suite, her dress brushing against Anti's legs as they made their way downstairs.

"Wow... you look really nice," Amy smiled, greeting them as they wandered into the room again. She looked like she'd been here a while- but she didn't seem to mind as she picked up her keys, beckoning the pair to walk outside with her.

"Thank you, Amy, I am very flattered," Dark mumbled in response, still looking just that little bit uncertain, though as Anti rubbed little circles into her palm, she was slowly beginning to warm up to it. "And you, Anti, you're... you're truly the best a woman could ask for,"

"Oh, Darky..." Anti teased, running a hand gently through her hair. "You're the best I could ever ask for too,"

"As much as I support public displays of affection, we do have places to be," Amy reminded, though she didn't look mad at all. She gestured to the car she had in the driveway, and Anti opened the door for Dark, figuring that trying to sit with a child inside of you probably wasn't as easy as it looked.

Dark smiled warmly in response, pulling Anti in for a short kiss before he hopped into the adjacent seat. Hands clasped together, frilly dress flowing in the breeze, Anti noticed that he had a small smear of lipstick on his cheek in the rear view mirror. He smiled.

He couldn't wait to take Dark on the best date ever.

**~Void~**

"Daniel?"

Blaze was nervous- he'd been with Daniel only moments ago, yet now the demon was simply nowhere to be seen. He wouldn't just leave, would he? Everything was a blur- his memories, his vision, the heat from his flames taking over until he was dizzy, weak at the knees. What had happened to him? Why did he feel so nauseated?

"Daniel!" Blaze called a little louder, wondering where he was. It wasn't as if there was a real landscape here to judge his distance- nor could he see any houses. It was rather like the place where he'd built the house he'd shared with Daniel for the past year, but... surely, Daniel wouldn't stray far. What had happened?

Had he died?

"Please..." Blaze uttered, giving up when he heard nothing but the low buzz of the Void, the crackling of his flames as they licked away at his sanity. He had to find Daniel- he was nothing without that demon, nothing...

He stood, taking a breath before he started to walk, figuring that keeping on his feet was his only hope to find his lover.

 


	24. Chapter 23

**~Groundlands~**

"We're taking care of Chica while Mark's busy filming," Amy explained, fingers tapping idly on her steering wheel as the traffic moved sluggishly along. It was hardly the best time to be on the highway- but then, when is it ever a good time to drive the busy LA streets? "Kathryn's dropping her off with us at the studio,"

"Is she anything like Dark's huge piece of work?" Anti asked, half joking but half serious, his hand tightening around Dark's own as the car jolted slightly. Dark gave his fingers a reassuring little squeeze, sending him a small smile through her red tinted lips.

"Nothing at all like her, dear," Dark assured him. "My pet is a creature of Hell- truly, she wasn't even named Chica originally. It was only after Mark released his video that she started responding to that title,"

"Yeah, she had a weird demon name at first," Anti recalled. "Something I had no chance of pronouncing, anyway- I just called her 'Malice',"

"Malice embodies her quite well, does it not?" Dark mused. "But no normal hound is as ruthless as our own, dear,"

"Well that's good," Anti breathed in relief. "I mean... she's fun, but... I value my limbs,"

Dark chuckled, a memory finding its way forth in her mind. He and Anti were playing with the oversized puppy, back when Anti was still fairly new to the Void. The glitch had been amazed by the hellhound- Dark had known at the time that Anti had never seen an animal before, and the wonder in those bright green eyes was something he'd let burn in the back of his mind for years. He was so young, and childish... Dark wondered if their own child was going to be like that.

"It is understandable," Dark smiled. "I was healing those fractured bones for weeks..."

"I guess I was just happy I died so I could come back in one piece," Anti snickered, warmth bubbling up and flooding his insides. It had all been so simple, once... perhaps, it could all be simple again.

"Chica's really sweet," Amy smiled at them, keeping her eye on them through the rear view mirror. "She wouldn't hurt a fly, honestly. We're just taking her to the park, and if you guys want to go someplace else, it'll be fine. So... you've never been out on a date, huh?"

"Never," Anti agreed, shaking his head. "Is... is it hard?"

Amy chuckled under her breath at his antics. "No, no, you'll be fine. Dark?"

Dark let out a small sigh. "I... not as Darkiplier. Not even in this form. Damien had been on a few dates, but none of the women sparked his interest... and Celine was married to Mark as soon as she was let out of the house. They never went out together- Mark was simply too recognisable. Even when she and Will were together, they never truly went on a real romantic outing, it was more... indoors. Under the sheets..."

Anti frowned a little to himself, turning to look out the window. There it was again- Will. William, Wilford, whatever he called himself- there was a part of Dark that had been with him before Dark had even existed. And while Anti knew that the other part of Dark loved him, what did that mean for Dark as a person?

Did Dark have feelings for both of them? Is that why they'd been together in the past? Did Anti have to be worried about that kind of complication impeding their relationship?

 _No_ , he told himself he wasn't going to do this. That he'd trust Dark without question this time, not letting rumours and misconstrued sentences get to him. But still, he couldn't help but wonder...

He glanced over at Dark again- at her downturned lips and their entwined hands. It was actually rather relaxing to be here like this. No appearances to worry about, no people to impress... just the two of them. Like it had been all those years ago.

Anti chuckled as he sighed, laughing at his own jealousy. If Dark wanted to be with Wilford, they'd be together already. He really  _was_ just fooling himself into feeling threatened again... well, at least he could see it this time. He closed his eyes, feeling triumphant over the voices as they hushed in defeat. He was fine.  _They were fine..._

The darkness that had encompassed his vision began to clear, but he wasn't sitting in the car anymore. It was strange... he could still feel the seat beneath him, still feel Dark's fingers curled around his own, but he couldn't see Amy or the window in front of him anymore.

He appeared to be lying down, and the room around him was dim. Little gasps and grunting sounds were coming from somewhere nearby, but it was much too dark to see anything clearly. It sounded like... like Dark, and Wilford, but... that just didn't make sense. Was he dreaming? Why would he be dreaming of Dark and Wilford like this...?

His eyes suddenly opened, and there was the mustached man himself, lips swollen red and eyes dark with lust. Brown hair and brown eyes... this must have been before Anti returned. Before the pink had overtaken all of his features...

He wasn't entirely sure what was happening- but he knew that he wasn't in his own body. He couldn't feel, or touch- it was like looking through a screen into someone else's life. He could see the familiar callouses in the hands, the unbuttoned tuxedo, the edges of a plain white collar that was damp with sweat.

_Dark..._

They were only half-clothed, and Wilford had his lips wrapped around Dark's cock, looking up at him with teasing eyes that made Anti's insides turn over. This perspective wasn't one he'd ever thought he'd see- and Wilford aside, he didn't see the appeal of it at all. Who would want to see those bugged out eyes staring up at them when they were trying to get pleasure out of a situation?

Anti felt his skin shiver despite himself.  _Dark, apparently..._

Was this a memory? He hadn't known it was possible to just... insert himself into Dark's head like this. Was this how Dark read minds? Anti couldn't help but feel that this would be quite distracting in real time- having to deal with multiple perspectives at once... Anti hoped that wasn't what Dark had to deal with.

But then, he hoped Dark didn't have to deal with Wilford either. And here they were, fucking in a dark room- Anti had no idea of when this even happened. Was it when he was away for those lonely years? It must have been...

Dark was bucking forcefully into Wilford's mouth, tugging his brown hair all the while, and Anti was glad to see him look away from the obnoxious smirk of the eccentric man below him. He didn't know why this was happening, and he didn't have any way to stop it, but knowing that Dark never shied away from his own glances made Anti warm inside. At least he had that over Wilford...

Apparently, he was also better at giving head. Dark growled in frustration, yanking Wilford up to face him, not even caring for the damage it probably did to the mustached man's scalp. Anti felt a little sympathy- but then, he guessed that's what Wilford gets for messing around with his man.

_"Not good enough," Dark hissed. "I want to forget. Why are you holding back now?"_

_"I'm not 'holding back'!" Wilford huffed, affronted. "I'm doing what I always do- you just have unnaturally high expectations,"_

_"I expected you to fulfill your offer to help me get over it," Dark sighed, letting go of the clump of hair he'd been holding. Wilford's chin hit Dark's chest harshly, and he scowled in response._

_"Well I can't help it if you never asked him out," Wilford frowned, rubbing his jaw softly. "And now I'm stuck being your little rebound slave..."_

_"You'll be a dead slave in a second if you don't quieten down," Dark threatened, eyes narrowing._

_Wilford rolled his own eyes, stroking Dark almost carelessly while the demon stared at him._

Anti knew Dark wouldn't like that... well, he didn't like it when  _their_ sex was careless. He liked everything to have meaning and emotion behind it, and Anti couldn't help but share the same mentality. But Wilford slept around like nobody's business- no wonder Jameson wasn't happy. Wilford probably acted like sex was a chore rather than an indulgence...

_"I bet you'd let Anti scream out your name," Wilford taunted._

_Dark stilled, his chest barely moving as he fixed his glare on Wilford once more. "Shut up, Will."_

_"Well, where's the lie?" Wilford exclaimed. "You let him get away with everything- calling you pet names, touching you- you don't even let_ me  _get that close!"_

Anti couldn't help the triumphant feeling that was welling within him at hearing those words.  _Yes, Wilford. Know your place._ Though he knew he should be a little more bothered by the fact that he was watching his lover and his lover's ex doing the dirty, he found that it didn't really matter to him now. He knew this was all in the past- he knew that Dark wouldn't let Wilford back into his life, and knowing how Wilford was with JJ, he probably didn't want Dark back either.

The only mildly disturbing thing about this was witnessing it from the first person- Anti hadn't ever let the idea of sleeping with Wilford cross his mind, and there was definitely a reason for that. It just seemed so... wrong. Even though Dark and Wilford looked so similar in their builds, Anti couldn't see the same traits he loved in Dark in anyone else.

_"I don't want the others to know certain things about me!" Dark grimaced. "It is nothing against you, Will- and it isn't favouritism towards him either. If you recall, we are in this situation because I-I couldn't let him get away with..."_

_"Say it, Darky," Wilford demanded, his pace quickening, flicking his wrist in a way that should have had Dark gasping. "Murder? You know they'll all come back eventually,"_

But Dark's thoughts definitely seemed to be preoccupied.

**_"Will you stop that?!"_ ** _Dark scowled, swatting Wilford's hand away. "I can't concentrate when you're giving me such a lousy handjob-"_

Wilford's eyes narrowed, and he fixed Dark with a spiteful glare, eyebrows furrowed. It seemed this was the final straw- just how tense had that relationship been when it was happening?

_"Fine!" Wilford snapped, standing up._

With a start, Anti realised they were both in Wilford's room. He felt... oddly relieved. These two weren't close enough for Dark to let them do this in his quarters... perhaps Anti really  _was_ special.

_"You can take care of your own bloody problems!" Wilford growled, his shirt already half over his shoulders, before Dark reached out a hand._

_"Wait!"_

_Wilford turned- and Anti could see... hurt? No, it wasn't possible- Wilford didn't feel attachment like this. But what else could that look of cold betrayal mean?_

_"What?" Wilford stated coldly, bluntly, tapping his foot impatiently._

_Dark rose shakily, brushing his fingers against Wilford's cheek_ _as if it was hardly the first time he'd lost his temper with the man. Wilford sighed, letting Dark inch forward, wrapping his arms around Dark's middle as the demon leaned in for a kiss._

They stayed that way awhile- Anti couldn't feel it, but Dark's eyes were half lidded, brimming with tears. He could see the little creases by Wilford's nose shifting ever so slightly, small wet smacking sounds reaching his ears. 

And then... Wilford's resolve seemed to crumble. 

_"What are we doing?" Wilford sighed, though he seemed to have given in to Dark's wishes. Anti supposed he couldn't blame him, but still... he felt his heart sink a little as he watched the embrace through Dark's perspective._

He could see now what Schneep had meant when he said that Dark was broken. Broken, because Anti left... because they'd parted on such bad terms that Dark was seeking solace in Wilford of all people... he could tell that Dark hadn't wanted this. But his own heart stirred in recognition of the desperation, the longing, the desire to be loved... it was what he'd been feeling the night he'd let Jameson into the empty space within his soul.

Had Anti left a similar gap in Dark's reality when he'd lashed out? He must have done, otherwise Dark wouldn't be so... distraught.

_"P-please," Dark sniffed, letting Wilford wipe his tears away. "Please stay..."_

_"Darky..." Wilford sighed, reluctantly closing the door he'd opened just moments before. "You don't want this. You told me last time, and you'll tell me again... why do you keep coming back?"_

_"Because I could always count on you to help me f-forget," Dark stuttered, hands moving down so that he was holding Wilford in place by his hips. "I need you, Will..."_

Wilford looked a little torn- Anti hadn't thought the man even had a sense of morality, but he seemed almost reluctant to continue this. Anti's respect for the moustached man raised just a little higher- though to be fair, he still had a long way to go after pulling the stunt with Kink that had made JJ so upset in the first place.

If Wilford hadn't done that, the whole JJ situation would never have happened... but otherwise, Anti guessed he'd still be sobbing to himself in Dark's room in the manor, trying to get over the fact that Dark was having a baby without him. It had done some good, that night, though it was hard to see through all the angst and hurt at first... and it definitely wasn't the right thing to do, but they'd bounced back from it just fine. It... it was over. Dark wanted to leave it in the past.

And Anti was content to leave Wilford in Dark's past as well.

_"You're sure you want me?"_

_"I..." Dark faltered, head sinking as he closed his eyes in pain. "I... don't want you, Will. But you're the best I've got..."_

_Wilford sighed once more, as if he was used to hearing that-_ and that... well, that was a horrible thought. Anti might not have liked the idea of Wilford messing around with Dark, but for Dark to be so flippant, so uncaring... he almost felt sorry for Wilford. He knew that if Dark treated him like this, he'd hardly take it so well.. _._

_"Then I'll help you out..."_

Wilford shrugged his shirt back off, pulling Dark closer to him, letting them fall into a messy embrace on the sheets.

Before their lips could touch again, it shifted.

_"W-Will, I-"_

_"Shh, keep quiet,"_

He was lying down again in an unfamiliar room- the layout almost resembled the doctors' bedroom, but the wallpaper and furniture were all off. Wilford was still here, but he seemed... different. His voice wasn't as warbled, his hair still wasn't pink. His shirt was discarded, his suspenders tossed aside, his eyes a softer brown than Anti had ever known them to be. Just how long ago was this?

_"What if Mark hears us?"_

That voice... it was how Dark sounded when she was female, but... different. Less sweet. More harshly lilted, yet still distinctly recognisable.

... Celine?

_"He won't hear a thing," Wilford promised, kissing the feminine looking hand that was offered to him. "You do want this though, don't you?"_

_"Of course," she said, though she still seemed a little nervous. "I haven't... he's been unbearable lately, Will, you wouldn't believe me if I told you..."_

_Wilford traced her cheek, anger clouding his expression. "If he lays another hand on you, I swear I'll-"_

_"William, please," she urged. "Not... not tonight. Tonight's for us, okay? Just... just help me forget..."_

_Wilford-_ or, William, Anti supposed _\- sighed in defeat. "Alright, Celine... anything for you,"_

It  _was_ Celine, then... the part of Dark that had resisted his feelings, the part of Dark that had been with Wilford in the past. She wasn't as well-spoken as Dark was, so Anti was left to wonder if that was all on Damien... but her words were familiar. Her insistence to stop worrying, her desire to forget about the weight of the world, to focus on what she could feel... it was that side of Dark that had urged Anti to relax, to discard the murders and fits of anger... it was the side of Dark that came out to play during sex, or when they were fighting. The fierce, emotional, determined side...

_Celine unbuttoned her dress from the front, sliding it gently off her shoulders as William kissed up her neck, tugging the fabric away between his growling sounds. He was mad, but it was a different kind of anger to what Anti had just witnessed between Dark and Wilford..._

_"Don't ever let him touch you again, Celine," William muttered, fingers circling on the dark patches of skin that littered Celine's body._

Anti felt his stomach twist in realisation- Mark, the Mark that they were referencing here... had he been abusive? Had he hurt Celine?

Maybe that's why Dark was a little scared of knife play, even though Anti rather enjoyed the rush of the metal against his skin. Was it because Dark was once in a relationship where pain was an everyday occurrence? Was that why Dark was so careful with him, so cautious, so desperate to save Anti from harm?

Celine may not have been the part of Dark that loved him, but that didn't stop Anti from wanting to find Mark and hurt him, no matter how dead he probably was at this point. If only time travel were possible- Anti would have liked nothing more than to slit the man's throat and burn the body before he could hurt  _anyone_...

_Celine sighed. "O-okay, Will..."_

It shifted again.

_"How could you be so selfish, Private?!"_

That voice... that was Dark. Higher, more... eloquent, Anti supposed. But it was Dark all the same- was this Damien, then?

The scene was fractured and warped, as if he were seeing it from two different perspectives. He could see a familiar looking man- Damien- clutching Dark's crystal topped cane and speaking to an older-looking William. But he could also see William from another angle- face on, and a dark clad woman wearing a veil was visible in his peripheral vision. The splitting sensation was making his eyes hurt, and his ears were ringing, but he just couldn't look away.

_"Selfish?! Everything I did was for Celine's sake-"_

_"Oh don't give me that horse shit!" Damien shouted angrily. "I know you two haven't been getting along since your father died, but that's hardly an excuse to steal his wife, Will-!"_

_"I wasn't_ stolen _!" Celine interceded fiercely. "I left on my own accord, Damien!"_

_"And that's another thing!" Damien cried, clutching his cane so hard that his knuckles turned white. "How could you do that, Celine?! He loves you with all his heart, and-"_

_"Damien, listen to me, he isn't the same man he used to be!" William groaned in frustration. Anti had the feeling that this debate had been going on for a while. "He hurt Celine-"_

_"He would never harm anyone!" Damien refused. "You two are out of line! You have to stop this silly little fling before someone gets seriously hurt!"_

_"No, Damien!" Celine interrupted. "I won't stop the one thing that's bringing me happiness- and if you can't accept my decisions, then just leave!"_

_Damien looked hurt, stumbling a little as he stepped back, not having realised just how close he was getting in his rage. "Celine, I-"_

_"You heard the lady, Damien," William frowned, holding his arms around her protectively. "Go."_

_"I..."_

_Damien huffed in defeat, closing his eyes and wiping the beading tears away from his eyes. "Fine."_

_He hobbled out of the room, his cane supporting his shuddering figure with each step. The door slammed shut behind him._

Damien was... crippled? Anti wanted to know the story behind that- but the memories swirled around and changed before he could ponder on the subject much further. He was standing in the manor- though it looked a little different- staring down at his hands. They were folded over a crystal topped cane, and Anti recognised them immediately. He'd held them so many times before.

 _Damien_. But he wasn't alone...

_"I do hope they'll be alright," Damien sighed, looking up to meet William's eyes. They must have made up since their argument, Anti realised..._

_"Celine is a strong woman," William said confidently. "She knows what she's doing."_

_"Indeed..." Damien muttered. "But... all this talk of the occult, Colonel, how could you let her get involved with this witchcraft?"_

_"It was hardly my place to say no," William frowned. "Damien, please... I know your parents were rather strict, but you don't have to live by their rules anymore. Celine is doing what she's passionate about- and she's sure as hell better off living with me than she ever was here,"_

_"Regardless of that," Damien stated through gritted teeth, "Infidelity is never forgivable, William. You didn't see how broken Mark was after she left. It was like he had nothing left to live for,"_

_"She had nothing to live for while she stayed here," William returned defiantly. "What don't you understand, Damien? She was unhappy here. Whether it was through me or not, she'd have found her way out. Aren't you glad that your sister is safe and happy where she is?"_

_"Mark is dead," Damien swallowed, looking like he was on the verge of tears. "And if there was something, anything I could have done to stop it... I would have,"_

_"Then we're done here," William spat, walking away without another word. Damien sighed, voice breaking, turning on his heel and walking in the opposite direction, holding his cane in his left hand and staggering ever so slightly out of the foyer._

Then, there was a crash.

Damien looked up- if Anti could have called out he would have, but it was too late- decades too late to save him. A man in a stained red robe was there, holding a heavy-looking urn, looking murderous. He looked a lot like the Mark that Anti knew, but...  _different_. His facial features were a little off, but the resemblance was still there.

This was the man that hurt Celine. The one that caused Dark to be so traumatised that Anti could barely nip at his skin without him shuddering... and now, he was hurting Damien.

Anti would really like to know where this man's grave happened to be.

Before Damien could even speak, he was bludgeoned over the head- Anti's vision went black around the edges, but Damien wasn't going out without a fight. He scrambled to the fireplace after he'd fallen, grabbing the fire poker and plunging it into Mark's abdomen clumsily. It stuck, but the robed man did nothing but smirk in response, wrenching it out as the blood poured steadily out of his front.

_"You always were determined, Damien,"_

Damien cried out in pain as Mark lunged, wedging the poker deeply in Damien's side, letting the blood wash out from his body in waves. The light was fading, and Anti knew this feeling all too well.

Damien was dying.

_"M-Mark, why would you...?"_

_"It's nothing personal, Damien... I just... need... body..."_

Then, the vision was gone. Lost for words but unable to speak regardless, Anti found himself in a new setting, but he was still reeling from that last memory.  _Damien_... Anti had known he was dead, but he hadn't expected it to be quite so...  _brutal_. Was this why Dark had so many issues with Anti's self harming tendencies? Why he'd had tears in his eyes whenever they'd fought to the death before?

_"Damien, what's gotten into you?"_

Anti was looking through Celine's eyes- and he could see Damien advancing upon her, fists balled and angry. But he wasn't stumbling. _It wasn't him._

Because Damien was dead- and he even had the raised lump on his forehead to match, but then... how was he here?

_"You came back," Damien said, stepping even closer. "Why would you come back now, after I lost everything?"_

_"What are you talking about?" Celine asked, worry evident in her tone. "Damien, you're scaring me- where's your cane?"_

_"That damned Colonel stole you away... kept you captive..." Damien muttered, eyes flashing darkly. He had a black aura, much like Dark's- but it was colder. Harsher. Surely it wasn't the same..._

_"Damien, no, we..." Celine started, before her eyes widened. "Mark?!"_

Anti's blood boiled-  _Mark_. Of course- did every problem Dark encountered start with this man? He must have... stolen Damien's body, or something. Anti didn't quite understand, but he knew that this wasn't the same Damien who had been fighting for peace several moments ago.

_"It's okay, Celine," Mark said, advancing further. "Nobody will take you away from me again-"_

_"Get away from me you psychopath!" Celine shouted, stepping back in alarm. "What have you done to my brother?!"_

_"That traitor got what was coming for him," Mark snarled, "for keeping you from me... he deserved it. They all deserve what's coming for them..."_

_"Did you hurt him?!" Celine cried, tears obscuring Anti's vision as she stepped back, seeming to hit a wall as the man continued to walk towards her. "Mark, how could you do that?"_

_"It doesn't matter now," Mark said, smiling eerily as he stepped closer. Suddenly, his hands were around her neck, choking her, all the while his eyes were dark and pulsing. And she was gasping for breath, teary-eyed and weak, her vision fading out..._

Anti thought he could see someone else there- another woman. Her hair was long and whipping around harshly, her regency dress flowing in the tempest that was brewing in the tower. But then she was gone. It all faded to black...

"Anti!"

Anti's eyes snapped open as Dark detached their hands, looking at him with mild concern in her deep violet eyes. "Darling, are you alright?"

"I..." Anti shivered, not entirely used to being in his own body just yet. What was that? Were those really Dark's memories?

Jack was telling him they were, whispering from within him, but... Anti was confused. How would Jack know?

"I had... a weird dream," Anti sighed, resolving to ask about it later. "Are we here?"

Dark didn't seem entirely convinced that Anti was fine- perhaps she had read his mind again. But she shook her head regardless, reaching out again to help Anti out of the car. His legs were stiff and numb, and he shook them off reluctantly, knowing the pins and needles would be unpleasant to deal with in the moments to come.

"We're here," Dark affirmed, brushing off her dress nervously, facing Anti with concern shining in her eyes. "Come here, darling..."

Anti let himself be pulled into a hug as Dark's arms slung over his shoulders, his stomach pressing against Dark's own. Desiree didn't seem to be awake at the moment- well, Anti supposed that even babies slept sometimes, but it was a little strange not to feel her buzzing around in there. He sighed happily, his hands finding their way to Dark's hips, holding her close to him.

"You saw their memories?" Dark whispered quietly, but she didn't seem mad at all. Wouldn't she be upset at the violation of privacy?

"Yeah... I think," Anti swallowed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, dear, it's fine," Dark interrupted, her eyebrows knitted together in worry. "Truly- I had forgotten that Seán could see them... I'm sorry, for putting you through that. I know it mustn't have been easy to watch..."

"I wanted to kill Mark," Anti muttered, burying his head in Dark's shoulder, drawing comfort from the fact that she was here... despite everything he'd seen, Dark was still here.

Dark chuckled lightly despite the grim mood that they'd found themselves in. "So did we... and... and we did kill him, eventually..."

"Those two scrub up nice, huh?"

Both Dark and Anti turned to see Mark standing there- not the Mark that had murdered Anti's lovers, but the one that had been letting Dark stay around in his house all week. But he was wearing... something Wilford would wear, if Anti had to explain it. Flared yellow trousers, a pink button up shirt, a glue-on mustache that was pink around the edges... Anti couldn't help but notice how Dark had frozen up in his arms.

"Mark?" Dark said quietly, looking him over as if she was pained to remember something. "I... I don't know how you managed to recreate his image so perfectly..."

"Well, you told me about it last year, remember?" Mark asked, slipping on the pink wig that Amy had brought. "Thanks Amy, I honestly don't know how I managed to forget the wig,"

"You've been stressed," Amy replied with a smile. "Have you heard anything else about Doom today?"

Immediately, Mark's happy mood soured. "No, thank God," Mark huffed. "Guess my doppelganger must be keeping quiet. Seriously, I just want to get today over with- come in, we've got chairs and stuff."

Mark beckoned them inside, and Anti kept his hand clasped around Dark's as they followed him into the studio. He was burning with questions, but he could hardly ask them when Mark and Amy were around, let alone whoever else was in here. He resigned to wait, to enjoy his time here with Dark... after all, wasn't that what he'd planned to do before the memory train had picked him up and churned his heart around?

The woman beside him was elated, and happy, and content... Just earlier, Anti was the same. And though he knew that nothing had changed around them, and their circumstances were the same as before... the images of Damien and Celine being killed were burning in his brain. He wanted to reach out to them, to tell them it was going to be okay... but he was years too late for that.

He could only hope to make today the best date Dark would ever have, even if it seemed like so little an effort to fix his lover after what he'd seen. He could do this. He  _would_ do this.

For both of their sanity...

**~Void~**

"Google, I'm not kidding, let me go!" Blank groaned, flailing a little harder as they approached two houses that stood alone in the dark expanse around them.

"I take my own orders now," Google smirked, his grip unfaltering as he stepped onto Anti's porch. That was one good thing about becoming deviant- he didn't need admin permissions anymore, even if the emotion-centric pop ups were becoming a bit much to handle. Google wasn't quite ready to label his state with emotions just yet- he was still getting the hang of when it was appropriate to be happy, or sad, or angry. The last time he'd let himself feel, he'd almost destroyed Chase in a fit of rage... Well, he supposed that remorse was a feeling he hadn't been able to escape since  _that_ incident...

"Well then do it out of the goodness of your heart!" Blank said desperately, tensing up when Google twisted the doorknob. "No no no no- Google, come on!"

"This is for your own good," Google stated, walking in and setting Blank down on the floor. Dr. Iplier, Dr. Schneeplestein, Robbie, Host and Bing had all been talking in the lounge- but at the sight of the long-lost ego, all hell seemed to break loose.

"The Host covers his ears as Bing runs over to the ego, shouting for Chase to come and see," Host muttered in annoyance, rubbing his forehead to soothe the sudden ache. Robbie tugged at Host's sleeve to get his attention, and Host started to explain to him just who Blank was. After all, Robbie was only ten months old, and Blank had disappeared over a year ago- the two hadn't been introduced, let alone made aware of each other's existence.

"Dude!" Bing exclaimed. "You're back!"

Blank groaned aloud, not wanting to get off the floor he'd been dumped on. He fixed Bing with a wary stare, looking around the room to see if his ex was anywhere to be seen... but King didn't appear to be there. Blank let out a belated sigh of relief.

"Hey, Bing..." Blank sighed. "I-"

"What've you done this time, Bing?!" Chase called, running into the room. At the sight of Blank, he stopped in his tracks, his grin widening.

"Blank!" Chase laughed, scooping up the blue haired boy and giving him a hug. Despite his moody exterior, Blank couldn't help but smile a little. Chase's dad hugs were always pretty amazing... but, no! He couldn't stay here- he had to go before he made anything else awkward...

"Mein Gott- vhere have you been zis past year?" Schneep demanded, looking him over for any injuries. "Google, vhere did you find ihn?"

"He was sitting out on the edge of Dark's boundary," Google supplied, folding his arms and leaning against the door. "Have you seen Xyler?"

"I'm afraid not," Dr. Iplier sighed, getting to his feet. "Is it possible he is still outside?"

"I didn't see him," Google replied, shaking his head. "Could he be next-door?"

"I'll go check," Chase said, clapping Blank on the back. "Good to have you back, buddy!"

Blank grumbled something under his breath. "Can I leave now?"

"Oh no you don't," Bing fussed, moving to restrain him further- damn, did these androids ever quit? "You and King need to have a serious talk,"

"I don't  _want_  to talk-" Blank denied, but Schneep gave him a small glare.

"You vill," Schneep said with finality. "Es ist nicht healthy to pretend like nothing happened, Blank. Vhat is it you are scared of, hm? Er ist vith somebody else,"

"I know," Blank huffed.

"Or is that the problem?" Dr. Iplier asked thoughtfully. "You never did tell us why you left, did you?"

"He didn't even tell us when he left," Google corrected. "But it is possible... he seemed fairly put out by the knowledge that Bim is in the picture now,"

_Google, shut the fuck up!_

Blank turned up his nose defiantly- he didn't still love King, not like he used to, anyway. And that was hardly a bad thing- no, what was bad was that Blank missed what they'd had, no matter how it had hurt him. He didn't want King... but he didn't know how to say that. He didn't know how to explain himself to the man, he didn't even know how to explain it to  _himself_.

"Bing, let me go!" Blank growled, trying to break free from the hold his arms were stuck in, but to no avail.

The door crashed open.

"Blank?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry about the wait on this one. I got really down in the past two weeks, and I just couldn't write in that mental space- but I'm back now, hopefully for good. Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)


	25. Chapter 24

**~Void~**

"Blank?!"

Yan was first to the door as soon as Chase told them the news- He, Marvin, Silver, Bim and King had been sitting around in Halter's living room when the father burst in, exclaiming that Blank was back. Yan was... surprised, but mostly excited- he hadn't expected Blank to come anywhere near them again, especially after how he'd run away before... but here he was. Yan was just dying to talk to him- to figure out why he'd left, to try and rekindle the friendship they'd once had.

Yan had seen King's face fall momentarily upon hearing Chase's exclamation- but Yan guessed it was understandable for him to be nervous. After all, it had been easily a year since Blank had left him without so much as a goodbye- and even Yan was worried enough about speaking to Marvin again when they'd only been separated for a few months.

Though he and Marvin hadn't really broken up either when that had happened- and that was most of the problem. It just wasn't clear to either of them just where they stood- Yan was just glad that Marvin still had some of that fire inside him, enough for both of them. The schoolboy just didn't think he'd have been able to bridge that gap alone, but now they were together again, and everything was going to be okay. Marvin was just behind him as Yan walked out of Halter's home, ready to give his old friend what for.

But Bim was there too- and  _yeesh_ , that must be awkward. Yan wouldn't want to be in that position himself- but then, if he had his way he'd be with Marvin forever. He'd never had an ex, and he hoped he wouldn't have one in the future, and if he did... well, Marvin had better not get too attached to his new lover.

Yan had thrown open the door, crushing the little blue boy in a hug as he tried to recoil, but to no avail. Yan had strong arms after all- how else would he have suffocated his victims for messing with Senpai? Eventually, Blank gave in and accepted the embrace, and Yan only held him tighter.

"Y-Yan..." Blank uttered in response to the assault, patting the Yandere's back nervously. "I uh..."

"What were you  _thinking_  running off like that?!" Yan demanded, gripping Blank's shoulders and shaking him. "Or- gooing off like that, more like- but still, what gives?!"

"I didn't want you to drag me back here!" Blank huffed, wiping his black eyes of their tears. "I'm too fucking awkward for this- you know me! I was better off just... just pretending I'd faded,"

"You ass," Yan groaned aloud, feeling Marvin's hand on his shoulder as he forced himself to calm down before someone got hurt. This yandere rage really only had one weakness, and Yan was just glad Marvin was happy enough to be that weakness. Without him... well, what had happened with Chase and Schneep was child's play.

"What about everyone that cared about you?" Google asked accusingly. "When you left, it caused a lot of pain and sorrow."

"I didn't know h-how to break it off," Blank scowled, folding his arms, but that didn't seem like the end of it. Surely, there must have been something else- Yan wasn't blind. He'd seen how Blank and King had interacted just days before they'd split- they'd been as loved up as ever. What had made Blank so nervous that he'd run away from the man that was making him happy?

"Vell, any vay but zis vould have been fine," Schneep tittered disapprovingly. He turned to face Chase, who was only now coming through the door. "Und wo ist King?"

"I mean, he definitely knows what's happening," Chase said, rubbing his neck awkwardly as he glanced around the room. Everyone else had come with him, everyone except the newest Iplier couple. Even JJ had emerged from his slumber, coming down the stairs with a look of confusion etched on his features. Yan still didn't know what was up with him- perhaps Wilford's disappearance was taking its toll.

But he found that he hardly cared to know- not while Blank was here for the first time in months.

Chase sighed in defeat as the doctor stared on, clearly expecting him to do something about it. "Bing, come help me- he might need a pep talk,"

Bing tilted his head curiously. "Why would you need two people for a pep talk?"

Chase nudged the android in the side. "You know, you can take Bim while I talk to Squirrels,"

Bing's eyes widened. "Oh, right..."

"Don't wake the Septiceyes!" Yan called after them, not really wanting to deal with the shenanigans of Marvin's two youngest brothers today. Marvin gave his shoulder a little squeeze in appreciation, kneeling down to match Yan's current height. Marvin didn't really like his younger siblings much, Yan had picked up. They were too... demanding. Always pestering Jackie about being the eldest, always asking Marvin for magical items... but Yan had resolved not to kill them.

Sometimes, he regretted his growing conscience.

"When did you get so considerate?" Marvin teased lightly, his hand trailing from Yan's shoulder to his waist, gently pulling him in for a hug. They'd fallen back into their regular displays of affection again, and Yan couldn't be happier- he hadn't realised just how starved he was for Marvin's touch in those long nights he'd spent alone, thinking.

"When I realised there's more to life than just my Senpai," Yan responded truthfully, resting his head softly against Marvin's shoulder and breathing in his scent. "But Senpai is still the most important,"

Marvin let out a small, disbelieving sigh, though he didn't look mad. More... tired. As if hearing the same old compliment every time was dull... well, Yan supposed there was truth there. He decided to watch himself next time- to say something different. Anything to make his Senpai smile. 

"If you insist..."

Marvin kissed Yan's cheek softly, standing from his position as the doctors looked over at him with approval. They hadn't had any therapy yet- actually, Marvin could almost pretend that things were fine again if he squinted. But he knew that sooner or later they'd hit another block... someone would die, or some nasty words would be exchanged, and they'd be right back where they were in May if they didn't do something about it now.

He walked over to them, biting his lip nervously as Yan continued to interrogate Blank. He hadn't seen the man so caught up in anything since... well, since they'd met, really. It was nice to see him obsess over something other than winning Marvin's love, especially since he'd had it from day one.

"I am proud of you, mein Bruder," Schneep smiled in greeting, slinging an arm around Marvin's shoulders. "Look at how far ze two of you have come,"

"Yeah, it's been... pretty great," Marvin agreed, fidgeting with his mask between his fingers. He hadn't put it back on since last night, but... well, it was part of him. Whether Yan realised that or not. "But it's... it won't last. You know that,"

Dr. Iplier nodded solemnly. "That is true- while you're getting along just fine now, I'm sure you won't oppose my belief that it's just the relief of finding each other after the war that's keeping you two so civil. If something doesn't change soon-  _drastically_ change, mind you- you'll be at each other's throats again. Now it may not happen for months, even years- but we don't want it to happen again. There is nothing more frustrating than having the same argument twice,"

Marvin sighed in acknowledgement. Really, there was nothing more frustrating than arguing with Yan in the first place. He was stubborn as all the other Ipliers, and he didn't stand for any of Marvin's self deprecation. If they could only move past that... perhaps, it would be easier. "Yeah... so, about that therapy, huh?"

"It might have to wait a while," Schneep said apologetically, meeting his fiance's eyes. "Simply because of Dark und ze baby... but ve vill endeavour to start as soon as possible. Though ze method may not be... conventional,"

"We're hardly a conventional couple," Marvin smiled wryly in return, looking over at Blank as Yan finally let him go, dragging him to his feet. They weren't a conventional couple, but then... well, nobody here was. They all had their differences, their blocks, their own problems to work around... Marvin couldn't believe it had taken him until now to realise it. He and Yan... they were about as normal as everyone else here.

And that was okay.

Schneep grinned in response. "Zhen ve vill discuss it later. For now- vhy don't you und Google check outside for zat Xyler fellow..."

"Will do," Marvin agreed, sending the doctors a thumbs up as he made his way over to the blue-shirted android. He'd only seen Xyler once- when the manor had collapsed, and everyone had filed out of there, he'd noticed the smart looking man standing by the doctors. But he hadn't seen him since, and he'd figured that the ego was staying with Anti, but if Schneep didn't know where he was...

"Marvin," Google greeted, raising an eyebrow. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I heard you were looking for Xyler," Marvin said, shrugging his shoulders so that the creases of his cape would shake out. "Figured I'd be able to help."

"The Host has already supplied me with the knowledge that Xyler has vacated the Void," Google sighed, and Marvin looked over at the blindfolded man himself, who was sitting with his little brother Robbie on the sofa. The two didn't seem to mind the chaos unfolding around them at all, being lost in their conversation... Marvin couldn't help but be reminded of what he had with Yan.

"Well... why did you want to find him in the first place?" Marvin asked curiously, facing Google again.

Google shrugged. "Though I had decided to save Blank from himself anyway, Xyler wanted to see him. They are... growing feelings for each other."

"Oh Lord..." Marvin grimaced, thinking of just how complicated that string of relationships could get. What, with Wilford and Bim being a thing before, then King and Bim getting together... and how would it all end up? It wasn't like King and Blank had parted on good terms- heck, they hadn't parted on  _any_  terms if Marvin remembered it right... "We don't need another love pentagon here,"

"My sentiments exactly," Google agreed. "But I had hoped... that it would resolve the tension between Blank and King, to know that each of them are pursuing other relationships."

"Well, I guess we'll have to wait until Chase gets back to know if it worked..." Marvin sighed, folding his arms as he leaned against the wall. Nobody had ever told him that life as an ego would be easy, but... well, sometimes he wished it was.

"You're sure that fusion could help those two?" Dr. Iplier asked, concern darkening the lines around his eyes as he watched Marvin slump against the wall. Yan was looking over at his boyfriend with worry evident in his eyes, but he was clearly fighting the urge to go to him- something that Dr. Iplier felt deserved a little more recognition. After all, the restraint was probably hurting the yandere in more ways than one. "I... I know it's the easiest way for them to reach common ground, don't get me wrong, but... I feel like those two would be a real piece of work when they combine,"

"Oh, zhey vould be a nightmare," Schneep chuckled in agreement, imagining a red and green haired man wearing a cape and a skirt running around like he owned the place. "You misunderstand me- vhen I suggested fusion, I had thought more of... vell, enlisting another couple to help. A couple zhat knows how to talk it out, und be sensitive to others' opinions and desires, you know? Perhaps, by being a part of a regular relationship, zhey could...  _learn_ to act like a normal couple."

Dr. Iplier sighed. "I'll assume you don't mean us, Hen..."

"Nein, nein," Schneep shook his head. "I vill have to be available to check on Dark- I... vait a moment, now zat Dark is vith Mark, perhaps you could call in to see zhem? I mean, I have been vaiting for Anti to return, but... if you could possess Mark, it vould be over for today,"

"Of course," Dr. Iplier responded without hesitation. "I'll check in as soon as I've got a read on King- I'm worried he'll be inconsolable at the news..."

"Danke, mein Lieber..." Schneep smiled, leaning in to give his fiance a small peck on the lips. They parted with a satisfied sigh, and all the tension just seemed to melt away. It was nice, sitting here. Even though the room was absolute chaos- with egos holding each other down, and loud conversations erupting between them- when they were with each other, everything became so... bearable. Instead of the noise, they could focus on the beating of each other's hearts, or their steady breathing, or the curve of each other's spine as they nestled close together.

"I cannot vait to call you mein husband," Schneep chuckled, brushing some stray hair from Dr. Iplier's forehead.

"Neither can I," Dr. Iplier grinned. "Just imagine it... you and me, no problems, no worrying about everyone else's love lives... we deserve an extra long honeymoon after all this,"

"Ach, tell me about it," Schneep smirked, inching further into his lover's embrace. "But you know ve vill have to end it sooner zhan ve might vish... who else vill keep ze order around here, hm?"

"Usually I love it when you're right," Dr. Iplier sighed, though he smiled all the same. "Except after this, there'll be a baby to look after as well... I... I don't know how Dark's going to manage it,"

"Me neither, mein Schatz," Schneep agreed. "But Ich bin glad zat Anti has come around... at least vone of zhem vill have some fighting chance,"

"Yes- where is Anti, actually?" Dr. Iplier questioned. "I haven't seen him all day,"

"Er ist in ze Groundlands," Schneep explained. "Though he has been gone for a long vhile... Er must be caught up vith Dark. Hmm, und I vonder vhat zey are doing..."

"Is he aware that sexual activity can induce premature labour?" Dr. Iplier asked worriedly.

"I had varned him," Schneep nodded, "though you know as vell as I zat ze mind becomes cloudy in times of arousal. I can only hope zat vone of zhem has zeir vits about zhem..."

"Have you forgotten who we're talking about?" Dr. Iplier mused. "The last we saw of Dark he was directly disobeying our advice to stay here and wait it out- and now, he's stuck there. I hate to assume that Anti is the one with all the sense here, but... well, what case does Dark truly provide?"

"Zat is true," Schneep agreed, "but Ich bin sure zat zhey vill be fine. Truly, I believe zat ze baby vill be born quite soon in any case,"

Dr. Iplier was about to speak, but a slamming sound next door interrupted the conversation. Before anyone could ask what had happened, Chase opened the front door, his chest heaving as if he'd run a marathon, and everyone turned to look at him with wide eyes.

"King's gone," he gasped. "And Bim's... well, he's  _upset_..."

"Oh dear..." Dr. Iplier sighed heavily, getting to his feet. "I'll be right over- Hen, do you want to come?"

Schneep looked worriedly over at Blank. "Nein, Schatz, noch nicht. Somebody has to vatch zese egos... but I vill be zhere soon,"

Dr. Iplier smiled in understanding, kissing his lover one last time on his way out. "Okay. I love you,"

"Und I as vell," Schneep chuckled, sighing a little as the door closed again. Blank looked... well, he looked crushed. Yan was talking to him, trying to make him feel better, and Marvin was walking over to them, pulling them both into a hug. Those two... they really had come a long way from where they'd left off. Schneep really was proud.

The doctor squeaked in surprise at the hand that clamped down on his shoulder, looking up to see Host smiling eerily down at him. Robbie emerged from his side, their hands locked together as they both leaned on the sofa quietly.

"Mein Gott, you two scared ze absolute scheiße out of me," Schneep groaned aloud, his resolve cracking when Robbie snorted in mirth. 

"The Host is delighted to hear it," Host smiled. "The Host is glad that he has not lost his touch. He had overheard the doctors conversing about couples therapy, and he knows which couple Schneeplestein had in mind to act as a counterbalance,"

"Ah- but of course, I vould have asked if ze two of you vere okay vith it beforehand," Schneep explained. "It vas merely a concept,"

"The Host wishes to advise that both himself and Robbie would be willing to engage in this plan," Host smiled. "He explains that Robbie wants to see his brother happy- and The Host shares his sentiments. The Host, as well as his partner, would be open to making this concept a reality."

"Vonderful," Schneep sighed in relief. That was one less thing to worry about. "I vill have to talk to mein Verlobter first- but zat should be very helpful, danke."

"The Host dismisses the doctor's thanks," Host said, head tilted as if he were watching Marvin and Yan's little interactions, though he couldn't see a thing. "The Host believes that this will certainly be... an experience, if nothing else,"

"Oh, I could imagine," Schneep chuckled. Now, all he needed was to convince Marvin and Yan to give up their individuality, their bodies, their personal issues... perhaps, it wouldn't be so hard. Schneep didn't truly understand fusion- his lover had recounted his own experience to him, and that was where he'd gotten the idea, but... only trial and error could tell.

Still... this was coming together. Slowly but surely.

_I hope Anti is alright..._

**~Groundlands~**

"Are you sure we should have let Mark put that JJ reference in his script?" Anti asked worriedly as he walked out of the studio, Dark's fingers clasped around his own. Mark had asked for their input, and they'd obliged, but... was Wilson Jackson Bartholomew III a little too on the nose?

"I mean... oh, shit, I didn't tell you..." Anti trailed off, groaning into his free hand as they stopped in their tracks. Dark raised an eyebrow at her lover, reaching out to cup his cheek as she brought him close.

"Tell me what?" Dark asked curiously. "That Wilford and Jameson are no longer courting? I had expected as much from the very idea that Jameson would sleep with another..."

"No, no," Anti interrupted, looking a little pale. "Wilford- he's gone. He left the Void, and nobody knows where he is,"

Dark's eyebrows furrowed in worry as she met Anti's gaze, her hand stilling. "This... this certainly seems like important information, Darling,"

"Sorry," Anti mumbled, looking down apologetically. "I- I was so caught up in helping you feel better that I forgot to say anything,"

Dark tittered under her breath, reaching out again to touch Anti's cheek softly. There was a faint trace of lipstick still visible there- Anti could easily have wiped it away, but Dark suspected that he was wearing it with pride to prove some kind of point. "Oh, Dear, don't blame yourself. I wasn't thinking to ask either- if anything, we are both responsible for this mess..."

"Hey- are you two ready?"

Amy jogged over to them, Chica following behind her, wagging her tail excitedly. Anti had practically melted when Katheryn had brought her around, immediately falling in love with the puppy as he sank to his knees, rubbing her belly and boasting about how good she was. Dark didn't understand how anyone could see him as heartless... really, he was more affectionate than anyone else Dark knew.

It reminded her... she really should bring her own hound back into the Void at some point. Perhaps Anti could teach their daughter all of the tricks of taming her, all of the knacks... the glitch knew things about that overgrown bitch that even Dark hadn't yet determined.

She hadn't been able to bear having her around while Anti was gone- the hellhound was far too much work for one person, and Wilford could hardly be trusted with something this serious. Not to mention all of the happy memories that had taunted Dark each time she'd been forced to have contact with her... but now, Anti was back. It didn't matter that her old memories would haunt her. She could make new ones.

"We'll discuss Wilford later," Dark promised, hitching up her dress as she smiled down at Mark's golden retriever. "Hello there,"

Dark was almost afraid to say the name- his own pet was likely to come barrelling in, and if she was any bit as hungry as last time, it wouldn't end well for anyone close to them. Chica barked up at her happily, and Dark gave her a small pet, unable to stop the smile from creeping across her cheeks. Yes, she missed her own dog... but this was a nice substitute.

"Yeah, we're ready to go," Anti answered, smiling at Dark as she stood again, brushing off her hands on her dress.

"Great," Amy smirked at the pair. "There's a dog friendly park just down the road- should we walk, or did you want to take the car?"

Anti looked at Dark for confirmation, and the demon closed her eyes briefly in acknowledgement. "Walking will be fine- it will do us some good, I feel..."

"Should we take your crutches in case something happens?" Anti asked worriedly, eyeing the boot of Amy's car. Thankfully, one of them had been prepared for the worst- while Anti and Dark were busy worrying about their date, she'd fetched Dark's crutches and her medication, packing them in her trunk. Even though Dark insisted she was getting better, Mark had been adamant about continuing her medication, at least for as long as she was here. And Dark had always held some measure of respect for the house rules, even when she disagreed with them. It just so happened that she'd been the one in charge for so long that taking another's orders just didn't seem natural anymore.

"No, no, Dear- I will be fine," Dark replied, giving Anti's hand a gentle squeeze. "But I appreciate your concern,"

"Yeah, we're taking the crutches," Amy said, disregarding Dark's statement as she unlocked her car remotely. Anti nodded in agreement, picking them up and holding both of them in one arm. He linked his free hand with Dark's once more, giving him a meaningful glance. Dark sighed- it seemed that whatever Mark had was contagious.

Amy picked up the bag that contained the rest of Dark's supplies, giving Chica a little pet as she sealed the car shut again.

"Darling,  _please_ , I'm fine," Dark insisted, but neither Anti nor Amy looked convinced.

"That's what you said the day you had a stroke and almost died," Amy stated, and... well, Dark had to admit she wasn't wrong. But still, that day had been rather... scattered. Dark had been confused, and scared, and reluctant to show her own weakness- she hadn't wanted to admit to herself that something was wrong in the first place, even when she'd known that there was...

But today was different. For the first time in a long while, Dark felt... alive.

"Very well," Dark sighed in defeat, leaning in to give Anti a small kiss on the cheek. Really, he shouldn't argue with them, especially when they had valid reason to be cautious. "Let us go,"

The day was... nice. The word seemed so underwhelming, so insignificant, but... well, Dark couldn't think of any other that would fit. The three walked Chica down to the park, and Amy let them throw a ball for her, and every time the puppy came back wagging her tail, Dark could see Anti fall a little more for her. She was nothing like the hound Dark called her own- she was sweet, and happy, and always so excited...

Dark's pet was always either hungry or hibernating, and hibernating was often the better of the two.

"I like dogs," Anti had said aloud as he leaned into Dark's side, arms wrapped around her middle, fingers entwined. Dark chuckled in response, running a hand through those fading dark green locks. Perhaps they'd be brighter in the Void- but Dark had spent enough time with Anti to know what he looked like with his natural hair colour. He was changing, getting... younger, it seemed. Dark couldn't explain it- much like the rest of Anti's existence, really- but she found herself loving it all the same. The green never really suited him- it always made him look peaky and thin, not like the warm, happy man he once was.

_He'll be happy again... I'll make sure of it._

"I could tell," she smiled simply, deciding not to burden her lover with her disarray of thoughts. "Do you know what I like?"

"Dogs?" Anti suggested with a smirk, though he already knew exactly what Dark was insinuating. Dark laughed quietly, brushing her thumb over Anti's fingers as she pulled him closer, setting him on her lap.

"Spending time with you," Dark answered, before tilting her head to the side. She shrugged, "and dogs,"

"Both at once, huh?" Anti smiled, "today must be the best day of your life,"

Dark kissed him sweetly on the lips, resting their foreheads together lazily as Chica bounded towards them, ready for another pet. Anti chuckled as he reached down, letting Chica nuzzle against his hand and lick at his fingers. There wasn't a question about it anymore- Dark needed to bring back her hellhound. If only to see the smile that graced Anti's features when she scampered into the room...

"Of course," Dark replied, shifting a little in her seat. "Everything is better when I'm with you, dear,"

Anti's smile faded a little. "I... you know, you never really told me why you like me so much... I mean- you tell me all the time about how good I look, and you mention how amazing I am a lot, but... couldn't you get that from anyone?"

"Does love need an explanation?" Dark asked softly, caressing Anti's cheek again as she spoke. She rather liked the way his eyelids fluttered when her rounded nails brushed against his skin.

"Well... as you might have seen, usually the happenings in the Void are quite lackluster. Before you came along, all I had to keep me company was Will... but I'll admit it, dear, the reason I was at first so enraptured with you was simply because you were someone new,"

Anti's eyes shone a little brighter as he smiled, inching forward. "But I'm not new anymore,"

"No," Dark agreed. "But you're every bit as exciting and spontaneous as you were then, Antithesis... It wasn't just the fact that you were new. You were sweet, and happy, and so... so caring. You were everything I craved to feel and more, and... and you were beautiful, Darling..."

Anti flushed a bright red as he buried his face in Dark's shoulder, laughing quietly at his own embarrassment. "N-no I wasn't, stop..."

"I'll never stop," Dark smiled, kissing the top of Anti's head lightly. "You're still beautiful, dear. Inside and out..."

"You two are so sweet," Amy said suddenly, alerting the couple to her presence. She looked a little worn out- perhaps she'd been on her feet for too long- if Chica was anything like Dark's pet monstrosity, exercising her could take a lot out of a person. Anti and Dark exchanged a quick glance before the glitch stood, kissing Dark's forehead one more time.

"Here- I'll take over," Anti offered, taking the slightly slobbery ball that Amy was holding. She smiled in return, taking Anti's seat as he ran off with Chica.

Dark's heart swelled fondly. Anti really was too precious for this world...

"It's strange. You guys don't really seem like how the world painted you to be," Amy said aloud, her gaze matching Dark's own as they watched Anti messing around and playing with the puppy. He was wandering rather far- but Dark had faith in him. He could find his way back with ease.

Dark smiled in response, pressing one hand to her stomach as she felt Desiree starting to kick again. She was awake, finally... "We existed before the world knew of us, Amy. Thus, we are... entitled to our own personalities. We may have changed with fame, but at our cores, we are still the same people we were all those years ago..."

"How old is he?" Amy queried. 

"The oldest of all of his brothers," Dark smiled. "Older, even, than the first of Mark's egos... we didn't have any means of measuring time before Google, so it is impossible to know, but... he was young when he arrived. Very young..."

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"Wilford?" Anti asked aloud, cocking his head to one side as he looked at a brightly dressed man sitting alone on a park bench, not too far away. Those suspenders, that mustache- it couldn't be a coincidence, right? But... why was Wilford here, in this particular park, on this particular day?

Heck, why was he in Los Angeles? Surely there were thousands of other places he could be- Anti hadn't really experienced it much, but he knew that the Groundlands were huge. Yet here he was, sitting on a park bench as if there was nowhere else to go. As if he didn't have people back home thinking about him.

"Will?" Anti called a little louder, almost afraid to go over there. After all, for all he knew, he could have been the reason Wilford left in the first place. But still, he knew the man well enough to know that he'd be offended if Anti didn't say hello to him first- and he'd find them, even if Anti didn't speak up. The man just had a habit of knowing things...

Wilford looked up, almost as if he were deep in thought- and his eyes widened. "Anti? Oho, what are you doing out here you little scamp?"

"I could ask you the same question," Anti replied, ushering Chica over with the promise of a ball. "Why... here, of all places?"

"To be honest I'm not really sure of that myself," Wilford shrugged, and... Anti noticed he seemed a lot less enthusiastic here. Whether it was because of Jameson or not, Wilford was acting relatively sad, even for a normal person... Anti felt his heart sink in sympathy.

"One minute I was making a coffee and the next I was standing out here," Wilford sighed, looking out into the distance. "I can't remember what happened in between, for the life of me... I've lost my touch,"

Anti couldn't recall a time where Wilford had ever drunk coffee- usually, he stuck with exotic sounding liquors or simple tea, but Anti couldn't help but wonder... JJ liked coffee. Did that have a part in all of this? He shook his head as he sighed.

"Your... touch?"

"I used to be the master of this... this  _time jumping_. But now I've fallen victim to it," Wilford huffed. He shifted his feet somewhat nervously. "It was never so bad in the Void... God, I miss it..."

Anti bit his lip worriedly, still afraid he'd accidentally cross a line and end up eating a bullet. "Why... can't you just go back?"

Wilford looked at him as though he was crazy- and perhaps, Anti was for suggesting it. Right now, nobody was Wilford's friend. Nobody except perhaps the lover he left behind...

"Are you out of your goddamn mind, Anti?" Wilford asked him incredulously. "Jameson left me, Dark's gone... what else do I have to look forward to there?"

"Oh, I don't know,  _me_?" Anti huffed, a little offended that Wilford wouldn't return just for him. Was their friendship insignificant? Clearly, Wilford didn't know about Anti and JJ's little affair, as Anti was certain he'd be dead already if he did. Why, then, had he been pushed aside like this? "And Septiplier, and all of your other little fucktoys,"

Wilford closed his eyes, fingers clenching around his sweaty palms. "Anti..."

Anti sighed, sitting beside Wilford and tossing Chica the ball once more. "I'm sorry, that was... that was a bitch move,"

"No, you're right..." Wilford shivered. "I... I messed up. But it's too late now, I... he deserves better. I was here to find Celine, but..."

Anti was glad that Wilford didn't notice him tense up at her mention- he was probably too lost in his own grief to really consider Anti's reactions, and for that the glitch was thankful. Anti didn't want to be the one that broke the news of Celine's whereabouts to Wilford, especially without Dark's approval.

_Dark..._

"Do you want to talk to Dark?" Anti asked, patting Wilford on the shoulder awkwardly. Wilford looked up, his eyes a little red, but there was a ray of hope shining in them as well.

"Is he here too?" Wilford sniffed, wiping at his glassy eyes. "Ah... of course. You came to visit him, hm?"

"Yeah," Anti smiled. "You should see the size of the baby bump, Wilford, she's huge,"

Wilford chuckled. "She... Dark never said anything about children, but he reminds me so dearly of an old friend of mine that loved the idea of having a little girl... adopting, of course- he was interested in men, though he never trusted us enough to tell us... caught him staring at the swim team every Tuesday, the rascal..."

"Damien?" Anti asked quietly, knowing that Wilford hardly talked about anyone else.

"Yes- how did you know?" Wilford asked, turning to face Anti with brightness in his eyes. "Have you seen him? Anti, why didn't you tell me you-"

"No, no!" Anti said quickly, hoping to calm Wilford before he made a scene- he already stood out enough with that pink hair and those awful clothes. "I... I haven't seen him. But you talk about him a lot. You... talk about both of them, a lot..."

Anti trailed off with a sigh, looking down at his feet. He felt a little guilty for this- he knew Dark hadn't wanted him to pry, but Anti was dying to know more about the siblings that were part of his lover. Was this prying, if Wilford was always so willing and eager to speak about them? 

"Both of them... Wilford, were they... what were they like?"

"Oh, Damien is the life of the party!" Wilford gushed, smiling for the first time since Anti had seen him today. "He acts all disapproving and stoic but deep down he's a real animal- and he's ambitious, too. Why, he was the youngest mayor in decades way back when- all the girls threw themselves at him, but he was never invested in the idea of romance. He... he did read a lot of romance, though. I'd be surprised if he hasn't settled down now that the world had opened up to accepting same sex relationships- oh, it's such a shame that Dark got to you first,"

Anti raised an eyebrow, not really expecting any of the words that had just strung from Wilford's mouth. "What?"

"You and Damien would make a great pair," Wilford sighed wistfully. "He always needed someone to bring out his inner spirit. Well, that was usually myself and Mark, but... I hope wherever he is, he's got a happy family. It's all he ever really wanted... but I've rambled for so long- I haven't even mentioned Celine!"

Anti was smiling- how could he help himself? Even if Wilford didn't know that Damien was part of Dark,  _he_  knew, and he knew that Dark was happy with him. That must mean that Damien was happy too, right? Even Celine, to an extent- though from what he'd seen in Dark's memories, perhaps it wouldn't be wise to bring up the fact that Anti was messing around with Wilford's ex-girlfriend. He was sure that even if he was cursed to survive death, Jack wasn't- and Jack was still here, thinking occasionally, but remaining quiet enough that Anti could almost forget he was listening and feeling everything that Anti was.

"You two used to be together, right?" Anti asked, remembering that Wilford technically hadn't told him anything about Celine- it was all information he'd picked up from Dark.

"She was the light of my life," Wilford smiled in memory, "she and I... we understood each other like nobody else could. I couldn't help falling in love with her, Anti, she was glamorous- and she was passionate, and determined, and unafraid to take what she wanted. It was so hard to find a woman like that... but it didn't last. It's been... it's been years, and she's never once come to visit..."

"Maybe she can't visit you," Anti said for her sake, not wanting to sit idle and let Celine be discarded like that. Because really, she couldn't if she wanted to. Not if Wilford didn't see Dark as the amalgamation that she was.

Wilford's eyes darkened. "She isn't dead, Anti- she can't be dead! I'm here, and Abe's here- even Chef and the Butler are still here. She's out there somewhere, I know it."

Anti didn't want to tell Wilford that Celine was actually sitting over the hill, talking to Mark's girlfriend and carrying Anti's child. But then... how could he just let Wilford keep on believing that Celine was alive out there? She wasn't- and Anti hated that she wasn't- but it was something they had to live with.

Keeping this from Wilford was just cruel. He bit his lip worriedly... Dark would know what to do.

"Come on, Chica," Anti beckoned, running his fingers through her soft hairs as she panted happily, dropping her ball at his feet. "Wilford... just... come see Dark before you go. Maybe you'll get some sense drilled into you,"

Wilford smiled as he stood- Anti couldn't believe these chances. Out of everywhere, Wilford Motherloving Warfstache himself was hiding out in a park- and Anti was hoping that Dark would be able to convince him to return to the Void. That way, he'd be able to spend more time here, with Dark, not worrying about how fatigued the doctors would eventually get from keeping the house up and running in his leave. 

Jameson wouldn't be thrilled, but... well, Anti was willing to sacrifice that for the ability to keep Dark warm and happy for longer. He started walking up and over the hill he'd come from, waving at Dark and Amy as Chica ran towards them. But something was wrong. Dark was frowning, peering over, and then- oh,  _shit..._

Pale and shocked, Dark looked white as a ghost as she stumbled to her feet, walking as fast as she could towards the public bathrooms. Amy started walking after her, holding out her arm as if to catch her, but then Dark was gone. Amy halted outside the bathrooms, turning to face Anti as he ran over to them.

"Amy, what's-?"

"It's Wilford- she panicked," Amy told him, looking warily at the mustached ego who was now walking over to them, looking rather frazzled. "She... I don't know, but you need to go to her,"

"But-" Anti started, about to warn Amy about Wilford, but she glared at him in response.

"When your partner runs off crying, it's usually a good idea to follow them," Amy insisted, nudging Anti in the direction of the bathrooms. They looked dingy and foul- hardly the place Anti would want Dark to be near in the first place, but he gave Wilford and Amy one last glance before hurrying over, scared of what he'd find.

He could hear sniffling coming from inside the cubicle on the far end as he rushed over, feet splashing a little in what he hoped wasn't piss. If he squinted, he could see a mix of red and blue light coming from the gap between the door and the wall, and... the rest of the stalls seemed empty. Thank God...

He knocked nervously on the thin sheet of hardwood that was locked in place. "Dark?"

"Is W-Will here?"

"No, no, he's outside," Anti reassured, just wanting to reach through and hold Dark's hand. Her voice sounded... rougher. Like she was stuck between male and female, like she was indecisive about who exactly she wanted to be.

Dark let out a shuddering gasp, and Anti could almost hear the tears in her tone. "H-he can't s-see me like this,"

"Like what?"

"Like... L-like a woman, Anti, he... he'll know who I am..."

Anti could have kicked himself- how could he forget? Dark looked a lot like Celine when she was female- of  _course_  Wilford would recognise her. And if he did... he'd take Dark for himself, wouldn't he? 

"Oh... oh,  _fuck_ , Dark, I'm so sorry, I should've-"

" _Stop_ , Anti!" Dark growled in frustration, a banging sound echoing from the other side of the door. "Stop b-being so... so  _f-fucking_   _nice_  about it, you... you didn't do anything w-wrong..."

"I told him to come see you, of course it was my fault," Anti frowned. "You can't just forgive me for everything, Darky, I make mistakes like everyone else!"

There was a tense silence, before Dark breathed slowly out. Anti could see her shifting in the crack between the door and the wall, could feel her presence as she slowly calmed herself down.

"It is n-nobody's fault," Dark sniffed. "Just... m-make sure he leaves, Anti, I can't... I can't go out looking like this,"

"But- Dark, you look fine," Anti tried to soothe her. "Look, I'll get him to go, and we can just sit outside again-"

" _No_ , Anti, I look like a m-mess!" Dark sobbed, wrenching open the cubicle door so hard that it hit the wall. Her mascara was running down one side of her face, and the other was wiped clean, rough patches indicating that she'd scrubbed away the makeup harshly. Her eyeliner was blurred, and her eyeshadow was dripping a little, and her dress...

It was ripped around her arms, and her shoulders were broad- much broader than Anti had seen them. Her jaw was a little straighter, her eyes darkened, her abdomen bulging out as if she couldn't fit inside her clothing anymore. Her arms were a little more muscular, her hair falling limp over her eyes.

Anti swallowed. He felt like he could guess what had happened here.

"Darky-"

"I... I'm hideous..."

"You're  _not_ ," Anti interceded, forcefully gripping her hand when she tried to recoil. He pulled her close, holding her, noting that she was taller as well. Her sandals were digging into the skin of her feet, leaving white marks all over, and one of the thin leather straps had snapped under the pressure.

"You're just... confused," Anti spoke, rubbing his fingers over her own gently. "That's all, Dark, you're just... a little out of proportion. Did you... did you try to change back to a man, is that it?"

"I- I usually- it normally just... just  _w-works_ ," Dark sniffed, eyes brimming with grey tears that ran silently down her cheeks.

"You were stressed out, of course it didn't work," Anti explained. "Look, Dark-  _look at me_... I love you, alright? Man or woman- whatever you choose to be, it's  _you_. I didn't fall in love with your body, Dark, or your ability to wear makeup, or your fashion sense- I fell in love with  _you_. And I know... I know that being like this,  _feeling_  like this can't be good, but... but I won't think less of you because of something you can't help. I... I'll get rid of Wilford, okay?"

Dark was visibly shaking when Anti reluctantly pulled away, hands lingering a little longer on his lover's own as he realised that one of them was definitely more petite than the other. He leaned in to give Dark one more kiss, hot, wet tears rubbing onto his cheeks as they parted, Dark's lips still turned downwards. Almost as if she were disappointed, but... Anti knew she wasn't disappointed in  _him_.

"I'll be back in a minute, Darky..." Anti promised, watching with a sinking heart as Dark slammed the cubicle door shut, clicking the lock into place just as Wilford walked into the bathrooms.

"Anti, there you are-"

"Not now, Wilford," Anti interrupted, holding out his hand.

Wilford looked at him, concerned. "Have you been crying?"

"N-no," Anti shivered. "It's... Dark, sh- he, he doesn't want to see you right now,"

"But it's been so long!" Wilford complained aloud, making his way over to the only occupied cubicle in the building. "Dark?"

"He doesn't want to  _see you_ ," Anti said firmly, reaching out after some hesitation to pull Wilford away from the door. "I mean it, Wilford,"

Wilford looked... hurt. There it was again- the same expression that he'd worn the night Dark had blatantly used him for rebound sex, the same look that he seemed to adapt when Damien and Celine had argued that once... he must really care, Anti realised. Why had it been so hard to admit to himself that other people cared about Dark, too?

"Why?" Wilford asked shortly. "What have I done this time, hm?"

"You didn't  _do_  anything, Wilford, he-"

"Right. I  _never_  do anything, do I?" Wilford huffed, gritting his teeth in frustration. "It's not me, it's  _him_. That's how it always is, isn't it?"

Wilford rounded on the door, jabbing it with his finger. "Fine, Dark. I'll play your game. Keep your bloody secrets, I'll just go and find someone who actually gives a damn about me,"

Before Anti could protest, Wilford was gone. Just... vanished, leaving nothing behind but a pair of wet footprints.

Dark let out an agonised sob, and the cubicle door slowly creaked open- Anti could see that it had come off its hinges. Oh dear...

"I'm s-sorry," Dark sniffed, arms wrapping tightly around Anti's torso. "F-for being so w-weak..."

"Don't be sorry, Darky," Anti muttered, hugging his lover in return. "Never be sorry for crying, that's... that's what you'd say to me. If I have to stop being sorry, so do you,"

Dark laughed feebly, and both heads turned to look as Amy entered the room. She'd looked tense, but upon seeing them her shoulders relaxed, and she walked over to them without another word.

"Are you two okay?" Amy asked delicately, looking Dark over. She seemed to piece together that something wasn't right, but she was smart enough not to say anything. Dark clearly had enough issues with her self esteem without people calling her out on her botched transformation job.

"Here," Anti said, shrugging off his jacket and offering it to Dark. "Come on, let's get back to the car- Amy?"

Amy nodded- while she didn't know what exactly had happened, she knew that she needed to get them out of here fast. "Okay, we'll get take out for lunch. Do you want to go to Mark's house or mine?"

"We'll go to Mark's," Anti decided. "That's where all Jack's stuff is, anyway- come on Darky, it's going to be okay. I love you..."

Anti hated that it was all he could do to repeat those three words, hoping that Dark would find comfort in the expression. Anti didn't quite understand what Dark was going through- he'd never really had body issues, nor did he care what others thought of him, and it was going to be hard to connect with his lover on matters like these, but... he wanted to try. He wanted to show Dark that he was going to be here for her through this- through her identity conflict, and her mood swings, and her seemingly unimportant crises that all felt like they were crushing her at once.

Anti wanted her to know that he'd be thinking of her all the while, even when Jack was away with his own business. Today was their last promised day together, and Dark probably thought she'd blown it, but... but Anti could fix this. It was the least he could do after Dark had fixed so many things for him over the years.

"I love you," Anti repeated, picking up Dark's crutches from where he'd set them against the bench, "okay? I'll  _never_  stop,"

Dark let out a sniffle of mirth, smiling despite the tears that were flowing in rivers from her eyes. She pulled her hood over her head, taking Anti's hand and entwining their fingers once more. Her masculine hand... but Anti didn't even flinch in surprise.

Maybe, just maybe, Anti really did love Dark for who Dark was. Who Dark chose to be...


	26. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to my long boi- a gift after so much time spent MIA.

**~Groundlands~**

"I'm s-sorry," Dark sobbed again, rubbing at her teary eyes as Anti opened the door for her, letting her walk inside. "F-for ruining our date..."

The car ride had been tense and awkward, and Anti had spent the whole time by Dark's side, calming her from her hysterics as she just...  _broke down_. He'd never seen Dark like this- so terrified and anguished by the thought of Wilford finding out who she really was that she could hardly speak. Anti had held her hand, muttering sweet nothings to her in hopes that she'd find herself focusing more on them than on her troubled thoughts, but to no avail.

At least now, she'd calmed down enough to speak full sentences. She wasn't hyperventilating anymore, she wasn't crying so heavily, she wasn't shaking as uncontrollably, but... Anti wanted her to be  _completely_ better. Dark was still in pain, even if it was less noticeable than it had been minutes before- and Anti didn't like seeing her pretty face marred by these creases of worry.

"Darky, you don't need to be sorry," Anti reiterated with a winded sigh, pulling her close to him and letting Amy through the door. Mark's girlfriend looked worried, but she seemed to want to stay out of it for now- maybe she was planning something bigger for later on. Maybe she was just letting Anti have his time with Dark before she tried to comfort the demon herself, knowing that the hours were ticking on by... Anti would have to leave soon. And  _damned_  if he was leaving Dark on this unhappy note.

Dark shuddered, closing her eyes disbelievingly as if she thought Anti was lying to her. "B-but I-"

"Shh," Anti soothed, brushing some of her hair aside, trailing his fingers across her cheek, feeling the telltale pricks of stubble coming through on her chin. "You're not thinking, Darky... you're just saying what comes to mind based on what you're feeling, and... and that's not  _you_..." 

"What do you really know about m-me?" Dark sniffed, looking down as she folded her slightly asymmetrical arms. She looked so... uncomfortable. So unsure. So...  _defeated_...

Anti knew that stance well.

He cupped her cheek softly, smiling at his lover despite the gnawing sensation growing in his heart. This had always helped him calm down when the voices grew to be too much, hadn't it? Perhaps all Dark really needed was someone there to say that what she was feeling was okay... It was always so much worse when the emotions Anti had faced seemed silly and unjustified in his own mind.

"I know a lot of things about you," Anti started, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know that you're usually above what other people think of you... and I know that you're beautiful, whether you think so right now or not,"

"But I'm not..." Dark sighed in distress, clenching her fists and looking down. "I'm not...  _normal_..."

Normal?

Anti had to refrain from laughing out loud- since when was Dark ever considered  _normal_? Until now, Dark hadn't even seemed bothered by just how strange she really was- but Anti guessed that during a crisis, everything started to weigh down until even something as simple as breathing became problematic. He understood, he just... didn't know how to help. He was really only just getting the hang of sorting out his own emotions- but he had to try something, for Dark's sake. After all, Dark had always tried to keep Anti from falling into a state of depression- the least he could do was return the favour.

"You're a being made up of a demon, two souls, and a human body," Anti listed patiently, remembering a time where Dark would have done the same for him. When exactly had their roles been reversed? When had Dark become so emotionally vulnerable, so dependent, so desperate... and when had Anti become the stronger one in the relationship?

"You can read minds, you can manipulate your surroundings, and you can heal from the brink of death in a matter of days. You can change how you look depending on how you feel, and right now... you just feel  _lost_. I understand, Darky, I do- but if normal was what I wanted, I'd have left you a long time ago,"

Anti didn't really know what he was doing- but it seemed to be working. He'd never really had to comfort someone before Halter came along, and he'd certainly never had to comfort Dark- the demon had seemed so untouchable, so carefree that Anti had once doubted Dark could even feel pain at all. But here, now... Anti knew better. She  _was_ hurting- just far beneath the surface. Hurting for Wilford, and Damien and Celine... And the walls of her seemingly impenetrable emotional fortress were crumbling down.

Dark tried to stifle a sob, wrapping her arms around Anti once more as she buried her face in his shoulder, crying her sorrows away. "I'm s-sorry... I'm acting l-like it's so much more i-important than it is, b-but..."

"You're pregnant," Amy interceded kindly, deciding to speak up after she'd locked the door. She'd been watching the interaction thoughtfully, waiting for an opportunity to voice her thoughts without taking away from the weight of Anti's gesture. He found he was quite thankful for that- this clearly wasn't the first time Amy had to give advice to a struggling couple...

"You're bound to get mood swings- it's just part of the experience. Hey... listen, why don't you two go and have a shower while I call Mark and tell him what happened?"

"... Together?" Anti asked hesitantly, meeting Dark's eyes with a measure of trepidation. He'd never showered with Dark before- but... well, he supposed it shouldn't be such a big deal, especially considering that they'd been intimate before. Heck, Dark was carrying his child- they were possibly as intimately connected as they could get. It shouldn't be awkward, but then... why would Dark be shaking if it wasn't?

"I don't trust Dark alone up there," Amy explained, noting how Dark had tensed up when she'd suggested the shower. She had reason to believe it was hardly Anti that was the problem- but she also had the feeling that Anti just might be the solution. Dark was obviously out of sorts- her body was stuck in the limbo between male and female, her organs were probably out of place and aching... but Amy knew that Anti would stop at nothing to make her feel wanted and loved again.

Amy had long questioned her own sanity for being so invested in her boyfriend's grandfather's love life- but she really did believe that the two were a strong couple. They were good for each other. At first, when Dark had mentioned that Anti was the father of her child, Amy hadn't known what to think. Sure, she'd seen Seán acting as Anti in several videos, even in person for the mega collab- but it turned out that the ego in question was astonishingly different to how he was portrayed when you met him.

She'd assumed that Anti didn't have a heart- that he didn't know how to feel emotions, or... just  _chose_ to be apathetic. The glitch that appeared in Seán's videos was crazy, and murderous, and an all around psychopath... but the Anti she'd come to know was different. Caring, and generous, and definitely not as detached as the character the fans knew. Anti was so concerned, so careful, so invested in being there for Dark that he didn't really do much else while he was here.

Amy got the feeling that Anti and Dark... they relied on each other more than most would think. They cared about how the other thought of them, they cared about how the other was feeling, neglecting their own needs because of how attached they were to each other. It was... well, it was certainly high maintenance, and Amy wasn't sure she'd be able to sustain a relationship like that, but considering that they both lived in a parallel plane of existence where most of life's problems just faded away... she supposed they could afford to be so demanding.

She shook herself out of her thoughts. "Plus- you both look like you've come out of a marathon run- trust me, you'll be happy you went,"

"I..." Dark uttered, choking on her words as an unpleasant expression ghosted her features. It seemed she wanted to do anything but what Amy was suggesting, and that... that pained Anti a little inside. Just knowing that Dark still felt uncomfortable around him, that they weren't as close as Anti might have wanted them to be... it hurt more than it should have.

"Come on, Darky..." Anti urged, taking Dark's hand again. He offered her his most calming smile- but it had no effect, and Dark didn't meet his eyes as they started to walk towards the staircase. Anti felt his stomach begin to sink, his heart pounding with nerves as his mind spun half-truths and terrible excuses for this sudden cold shoulder...

"It's not y-you," Dark mumbled, letting go of Anti's hand when they'd reached the top of the stairs. "You could never m-make me this upset, so... so stop catastrophising,  _please_..."

"You're one to talk," Anti sighed half-heartedly, opening the door to the en suite bathroom and ushering Dark inside, peeling off his sweat-soaked shirt and tossing it onto the vanity without a care.

Dark didn't move.

"Darky..." Anti pleaded, reaching out to wrap his fingers around her forearm. She only sniffled in response, another tear rolling from her sad, blue eyes as she drew her elbows close to her chest.

"Don't look at me," she shivered.

"I'll look at you when I want, Dark, are we in this thing together or not?" Anti asked, folding his arms. "I know you don't feel like you're... good enough, but I think you look just as amazing as ever. There's nobody else here, Darky, it's just us. Don't you trust me?"

"Oh, Darling, of course I trust you," Dark sobbed. "I just... don't want you to see me so... out of sorts, and misshapen..."

"You're  _not_ misshapen-"

"Yes, I  _am_." Dark stated, gritting her teeth in frustration. "My blood vessels are compromised and warped, my muscles are uneven, and the skin of my face is being stretched out by my jawline. I ache all over, and... and I look hideous. I'm... It's a  _mistake_ , Anti..."

Anti frowned. "Don't  _ever_  call yourself a mistake again," he threatened quietly. "That's the love of my life you're talking about. You're  _not_  a mistake. You're perfect- even if your definition of perfect is different from mine. I love you.  _All_  of you. Please, just... just let me help you,"

Anti inched his arms around her sides, undoing her zipper and carefully lifting her jacket over her head. To his delight, she seemed to have stopped resisting- whether he'd gotten through to her or not, she was at least willing to comply now. And Anti supposed that was the best he could hope for...

Dark winced when the jacket left her skin, hands flying to her shoulders as if she'd been branded, and... oh, no. There was blood everywhere- smeared down her front, dripping down her arms, the little slits stark and visible where her dress had dug into her skin. Thankfully, it had only been tight around her torso, and the baby would be fine, but... Anti didn't like to see his lover this way. She was in physical and emotional pain, and he couldn't do a damn thing about it. Nothing but show Dark that he was here, and he wasn't going anywhere...

Anti kissed Dark's cheek as he reached forward, trying to remove Dark's floral overcoat that had once fit her with room to spare. Now, it clung to her shoulders, and didn't budge until Anti forced it down and across the length of her arms. Dark whimpered slightly in pain, flinching, the blood only seeping further with the pressure that was being applied to her skin. Anti let the soaked garment fall to the ground as he looked at the dress... this was going to be tough.

"We... might need to cut this off of you," Anti said, trying to sound like he knew what he was doing, but he was fucking terrified. He was one fell swoop away from cutting Dark- and he didn't want to hurt her. They weren't enemies out for blood anymore, they were friends and lovers, and Anti never wanted to remind her of the abuse she'd endured in her previous life. He just wanted to live a happy life with his partner, and forget about all of the problems, but... if you don't resolve the problems, they'll always come back. It was the sad, cold truth.

Dark nodded grimly, not trusting herself to speak as Anti left her alone, walking downstairs with a gentle kiss and a promise that he'd be back soon.

What was  _wrong_ with her? She'd never given a damn about gender roles, or who she was- whether she presented as a man or a woman, whether she wanted to wear dresses or suits... But it was becoming so much more important now that she had someone to impress. Someone that looked at her body, touched her, was as invested in it as she was- someone else whose opinion mattered to her. Someone she didn't want to drive away...

She'd been nervous enough showing her female form to Anti, knowing that it wasn't what he was used to- but he'd seemed to like the change enough. Calling her beautiful, holding her hands as if he'd never seen fingers so small, taking every chance he could get to kiss away the makeup painted on Dark's lips... but this was hardly the same concept. This... this  _wasn't_  an expression of Dark's gender identity. This was an  _abomination_.

She was a monster- an awful, disgusting creature. Torn between forms, asymmetrical and lopsided and  _ugly_... how could Anti stand to be near her like this? How could she stand being like this any longer? She'd tried and tried until she was dead on her feet to change back, to choose a side- masculine or feminine, but she was... stuck.

And now Anti was here, doing everything he could to help her through this, and she was turning him away. Dark's pain, her suffering, her blood, sweat and tears... Anti was feeling it all too, for her sake. That's what lovers are meant to do, right?

Why, then, was Dark so hesitant to let him in?

"I'm back,"

Dark opened her bleary eyes, seeing Anti walking over to her with a pair of scissors, a nervous expression etched on his features. He was scared of hurting her, but... she was already too pained to care. She just wanted this to be over. This weakness, this fatigue, this sickness... these thoughts and worries that plagued her, every day and night without fail.

She wanted this  _all_ to be over...

But she couldn't fall into this cycle of self-loathing and self-harm again. She had a baby to care for- a life to protect...

"Don't move," Anti advised gently, gulping under his breath as he slid the metal blade carefully between Dark's torso and the fabric of the dress. It was tight, so tight that Anti wasn't sure how Dark was breathing- but her pain would be over soon. Dark shivered at the cool touch of the metal, causing Anti to falter- Dark had never been affected by temperature before...

He cut down.

The straps were still constricting Dark's shoulders, but the front of the dress was now separated in two, and as Anti snipped at the remaining pieces of taut clothing he found himself growing more and more coated in crimson. It was a strange feeling, being covered in someone else's blood... Anti wasn't sure he liked it. Perhaps this was another reason Dark didn't want to try knife play... waking up smothered in this stuff mustn't be very enjoyable.

The dress fell to the floor with a light thud, leaving Dark in her stretched out boobtube and a modest pair of underwear, and Anti raised the scissors again. There was simply no way that the tight ring of fabric was coming back over Dark's head when she was like this.

_SNIP!_

Dark was still lactating, the colostrum leaking slowly but surely from her breasts as she shimmied her underwear down, shame written all across her face. Anti hadn't even thought to consider what her genitals must be like in this form- but Dark clearly wasn't proud of them. Anti resolved not to stare, instead focusing on taking the remainder of his own clothes off and putting them in a single, blood-soaked pile. He'd never had to get the stains out of his own clothing before, and winced a little in pity for Mark... perhaps, they'd just throw these ruined clothes away and save everyone the trouble.

"Come here," Anti beckoned, pulling Dark close and hugging her, being careful not to irritate her shallow wounds. "It's going to be okay, Darky, trust me... I love you, alright?"

Dark nodded slightly, a slight whine accompanying her sharp breathing as she refrained from sobbing aloud. "O-okay... I l-love you too,"

Anti had never felt so happy to hear those words.

"Let's go," Anti beckoned, stepping inside the shower and turning the water on. He left it cooler than he normally would, knowing that it was a hot day out and Dark's wounds would probably sting under water that was too warm. It was a little cooler than room temperature, and Anti soon felt Dark sliding into the shower behind him, her hands tracing the ridges in his spine carefully. Dry, chapped lips pressed against Anti's earlobe, and he gave a content sigh.

"Okay... let's get you cleaned up," Anti mumbled with a small smile, picking up a cloth that was lying on the soap rack. Dark's makeup was still... well, frankly, a mess. Her cheek was raised and chafed from the cheap toilet paper she'd used to wipe her makeup away, and her eyes were a little bloodshot from crying- her hair dampening and matting to her forehead as they stood in the path of the water stream.

Anti brought the cloth to her face, rubbing gently at the remains of the lipstick, the mascara, the shades that Dark had put so much work into blending, washing it all away... it was a shame, but Anti knew that there was no way to salvage what was left of the carefully painted mask. He offered Dark another smile, and this time she returned it, her lips twitching a little as she closed her eyes, letting Anti wipe away the delicate brown shadows over her eyelids.

"You know what makes you so beautiful to me?" Anti asked aloud, lightly washing over Dark's rash so as not to hurt her any more than necessary.

"No..." Dark uttered quietly. Anti knew it wasn't true- Dark could hear his thoughts, she knew everything that was going through the glitch's mind, and she knew exactly what Anti was about to say. Perhaps, she just wanted to hear it aloud...

"Your facial expressions," Anti said truthfully. "Your eyebrows scrunch up when you're concentrating, and your eyes crinkle when you laugh... and you know what? Even when you look like this, you still do it,"

Dark chuckled under her breath, showing a sign of mirth for the first time in what felt like hours as Anti continued to wipe down his lover's neck. She didn't speak her acknowledgement out loud- though, Anti supposed she hardly needed to. It was enough for him that she could manage a laugh at all, instilling him with hope that the day could turn around again for the better.

All of the blood seemed to wash away under the steady stream, and Anti was surprised to find that there were really only two cuts under all that red- he wasn't ashamed to admit he'd been a little scared by the amount of crimson pouring from them, but these... they were easily managed. Nothing Anti hadn't treated before. He pressed against them softly, trying to seal them up a little before Dark bled out, and eventually the flow weakened and stopped. 

Anti wasn't conscious of how he'd ended up kissing her, their lips bumping together softly as his fingers trailed from her shoulders to her breasts, kneading them to help her relieve the pressure. The warm, wet pre-milk was being washed away, but Anti wasn't concerned- Dark could always make more in time for the baby. Heck, he'd completely drained them last night and she was already swollen again, practically begging to be touched.

Anti couldn't help but comply with the silent request.

When they parted, they were gasping for air, water droplets beading and running down their bodies, making them heavy and tired as they panted out their brief exhaustion. Anti's thumbs were running lightly over Dark's upper back, his fingers trailing idly along her smooth curves as he kissed down her neck, each little gasp and stutter she let slip warming him on the inside.

"Anti..." Dark breathed out, her voice just a little rougher than before. She was pressed up against the shower wall, her skin moist and glistening in the light as Anti ceased his advances, looking into her eyes once more. Anti wasn't quite sure whether she was hesitant or aroused, but neither seemed to match up with the lazy, defeated smile that then graced Dark's lips as she chuckled breathlessly, leaning forward and wrapping her arms around his wet torso.

"Yeah?" Anti replied quietly, nuzzling into Dark's embrace, silently thanking whatever god was watching, knowing that Dark was going to be okay.

"Th-Thank you," Dark stuttered out, her tears blending with the drops of cool water that were running down her face. "For everything, Dear, I... I'm s-sorry for pushing you away..."

"It's okay," Anti smiled, feeling tears of relief welling in his own eyes as he held his lover that little bit tighter, the water starting to feel like gravel raining down on his back- but he didn't want to move from this spot. He didn't mind the numb that was spreading from his spine, he'd take it a thousand times over just to see Dark happy and content, just to feel her chest rumbling with nervous laughter against his own.

"It's... not okay," Dark sighed dejectedly, sniffling a little as she wiped her eyes. "I s-shouldn't... get to this state, Darling, I... I'm not s-supposed to care so much..."

"Shh," Anti urged, leaning in to kiss Dark softly again, then again, wiping her wet hair from the sides of her cheeks. "This doesn't need to be so... complicated, Darky. It doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman to me, it doesn't even matter if you're somewhere in the middle... it's you, and me, and our baby girl... and I'd love both of you no matter what you looked like,"

"I know you would," Dark sighed, eyes closing. "But... but  _I_  don't want to be in the middle. It... it hurts, Anti. My body, my heart... this isn't  _me_. I can't... I can't just throw away my masculine and feminine sides like this. I... even when I switch my sexes, I still think of myself as a man or as a woman, and... and right now I'm neither. I don't know what I am..."

"Darky-"

" _No_ ," Dark interrupted. "No... I appreciate your sentiments, Anti, truly, but... but I can't tolerate this form any longer. I... I just want to be..."

Normal wasn't the word. But... Dark didn't quite know how to explain it. She'd always been one or the other- she knew how masculinity felt, and she knew how femininity felt, and she could play both sides wonderfully- enjoyed it too. But losing these definitions, these boundaries... she felt a loss of her identity. Her entire being- if she wasn't male or female, who was she? Could she even impose an identity onto herself, knowing that she'd never truly feel like the label she was living by? She was more Celine when she was female, more Damien when male- but there was nobody to fill this new space in her mind.

And it was absolutely fucking terrifying.

She knew she was overreacting- that it shouldn't really matter, because Dark was a representation of both genders, and every mix in between. But Dark hated being androgynous like this- hated the aspects of her that had become masculine, throwing her image out of proportion... Hated not knowing whether to be called he or she, hated how her feminine curves offset her strong jaw and her large hands...

She hated her own...  _ambiguity_.

Anti let out a long sigh. "I... I get it. But you need to relax first, alright? Otherwise you'll never calm down enough... Just... tell me where it hurts,"

Dark groaned under her breath as she counted the aches present in her body, knowing there were some that wouldn't fade even with the strongest medicine. "I... It's easier t-to tell you where it doesn't hurt, truly..."

"Well..." Anti sighed, his fingers trailing to rest on Dark's collarbone. "I guess I'll start here- but I can't do your shoulders, Darky, you'll bleed out again..."

"This is fine, Darling," Dark replied, closing her eyes as Anti pressed and kneaded at her sore skin, letting her problems melt away under the cool of the water stream. "This is wonderful..."

Anti hummed his agreement as he rubbed softly at the mottled grey skin of Dark's breasts, a little concerned that the rest of her skin was hardly as blemished. Sure, he'd been kissing all over Dark's skin last night, but... if these were hickeys, surely they'd be more widespread? 

"Is this... is this the cancer?" Anti asked quietly, almost afraid to bring up Dark's illness in case she burst into fresh tears at the reminder. He still didn't understand what cancer really was- still didn't know the real weight of carrying it, but Schneep had certainly been worried for Dark when he'd told them. If it was serious enough to scare the doctor, surely it was no laughing matter...

She didn't seem at all offended, or upset- she looked down and sighed, and ran her fingers along Anti's upper back as she grunted out a vague response.

"Yes," Dark muttered simply. Anti decided not to pry further.

He moved down past her breasts, pressing softly into her sides where she'd definitely gained a little weight- nothing too major, nothing too noticeable, but the skin was more plush and malleable than it had been even yesterday. Anti didn't dare speak the thought aloud, not knowing the full extent of Dark's body issues and not wanting to trigger anything more than he had, but he couldn't help lingering a little longer, rubbing against her subtle rolls thoughtfully.

He wouldn't mind a nice, tubby Dark to cuddle up to at night. Perhaps after Desiree was born, he could persuade Dark to keep a little extra weight- but right now, he was afraid to ask for much that wasn't already openly discussed between them. The stress of maintaining a different body around Anti today had already made her break- he didn't want to put her through something like that again.

"How is she doing?" Anti asked, resting his hands on Dark's abdomen as Desiree kicked up at him, very much awake and active. She seemed unperturbed by Dark's emotional anguish and subsequent panic attack- a carefree, happy child. Anti only hoped she'd stay that way.

"She... she's doing just fine," Dark smiled, her tears blending with the water running down her cheeks. "She... says hello,"

Anti froze in his place. He didn't know much about children- much less about babies- but he definitely knew that they shouldn't be able to speak when they were still in the womb. "She... what? She can  _talk_?!"

"Darling, shh..." Dark ushered, cupping Anti's cheek and brushing her thumb over his smooth skin. "No, she can't talk, but... she's learning which words to use when and where. She's thinking, repeating them back to us... she says hello because she knows that's how you greet someone,"

"She..." Anti sighed in some amount of understanding, smiling as he leaned in, pressing his nose gently against the deep grey skin of Dark's neck. "She's a smart one,"

"Indeed," Dark agreed, the hint of a chuckle evident in her voice. "Though I imagine all babies are as conscious as ours... it just so happens that we can properly communicate with her, due to my clairvoyance..."

"I wouldn't trade either of you for anything," Anti smiled, giving Dark a loving hug around her middle. 

There was a knock at the door.

"Guys? Do you have a spare change of clothes in there?"

"We didn't think of that, did we?" Anti chuckled at his own carelessness, his heart swelling as he realised that Dark wasn't crying anymore. It must have worked- he'd distracted her. If only he knew how to help her change back...

Dark smiled, wiping her bleary eyes as she glanced at the door. "I'm afraid we don't," she answered, her voice carrying just enough to reach Amy as the human walked off, probably to fetch some clothes for the couple. She really was too good to them- Mark was a lucky man to have her in his life.

"Did you want me to keep going?" Anti asked, cupping his hands around the smooth curve of Dark's ass and squeezing softly at the supple flesh. 

"Please," Dark affirmed with a little groan, tilting her head back and resting it against the shower wall as Anti continued to press and knead at Dark's cheeks.

Anti couldn't lie- his dick was awake and aching to be tended to at the very idea of touching Dark, but he didn't want to push anything that his lover wouldn't be comfortable with. He'd been rather... insistent about what they'd been doing last night, and while Dark had appeared to love it, Anti didn't want to overstep one of her unspoken boundaries. And he was perfectly okay with boundaries- heck, he'd encourage them if they would make Dark feel safer and happier with him.

He didn't want her to lose faith in him again. Whether it was a matter of appearance, or character, or an act she'd usually keep secret... Anti wanted their relationship to come back up from the low they'd fallen into. He wanted her to trust him, and he wanted to trust her, and... even though they weren't quite there yet, it was a start.

"You're hard," Dark noted quietly, having noticed almost immediately as Anti brought their bodies closer, crotches close to touching but separated by the bump on her abdomen. She looked guilty, but also smug- a strange combination that Anti interpreted as a kind of apologetic curiosity.

"I couldn't help it," Anti smiled, his fingers slowing and trailing away as he looked up and into Dark's eyes. "You're too damn sexy. We should shower together more often,"

Dark chuckled under her breath, too elated to discard the compliment Anti had given her. "We should," she agreed, resting their heads together. She found it rather... nice. Nice to be standing here with each other, under the cool water as it washed away the pain and shame that each new day could bring. They really should do this more often- even if it didn't always become so sexual, the intimacy was certainly breathtaking in itself.

"Is it bothering you?" Anti asked self-consciously, but Dark shook her head.

"No, no... it's fine, Darling. I couldn't dare hold it against you- I'm quite worked up myself, but..."

"But?" Anti echoed, having given a little sigh of relief when Dark said it was okay. He was glad that she wasn't judging him for how easily turned on he was around her.

Dark looked down, eyes closed. "I don't... want this to escalate. Not like this. Not while I'm...  _this_ ,"

Anti sighed in understanding, though he was a little put out. He'd thought that doing something sexy would take Dark's mind off what was hurting her- but he supposed that it wouldn't do much if it was really Dark's body that was the problem. Still, he wanted to help in any way he could- he'd have to ask Amy for relaxing activities they could do, ones that wouldn't cause Dark to feel insecure or incapable...

"Okay," Anti said, respecting Dark's wishes above all else. "We don't have to do anything,"

"Well, we can still..." Dark started, trailing her hand down to rest against Anti's waist. "We can still... touch elsewhere,"

"Mhm," Anti hummed into Dark's neck, feeling her teasing fingers hovering just inches from his sex as he continued to squeeze and pinch at Dark's thighs. "If you want to,"

"I want to make up for ruining our day out," Dark muttered under her breath, resting her head on Anti's shoulder.

"Don't just fuck me because you feel like you have to," Anti pouted, lifting his head and looking at her with a hint of discomfort in his eyes. "I want... I only want you to do what  _you want_  to do, okay? I can take care of this alone, you know, if you're not comfortable with it. I'm not offended,"

" _I'm_ offended that you'd ever think a moment goes by where I wouldn't want you," Dark replied, tracing her fingers down and gliding them gently across Anti's length, taking pleasure from the way his lips parted ever so slightly against the skin of her collar. "I just... don't want you to get attached to this form- not that I know how you could grow attached in the first place, really, it's hardly appealing... I never want to look like this again."

"I get it," Anti swallowed thickly, brushing his hand against Dark's as she pumped the base of his shaft with her petite fingers. "But... I think you look... f-fucking gorgeous," Anti groaned, moaning into Dark's shoulder. "And you're  _really_ fucking good at that,"

"I've had my practice," Dark brushed away the compliment, twisting her wrist as Anti guided her hand across his sex, her breaths growing just a little heavier with lust. "And I'm certain you merely have... strange tastes,"

"I think I just like you for who you are," Anti countered. "And... damn it, Darky, I don't want to let you do all the work. You don't need to be horny on top of all of this- just... let me help you out, please?"

"Anti..." Dark sighed nervously, her movements slowing. "I... you'll never look at me the same way if I let you see me as I am. I wasn't lying about it being hideous- even if it wasn't, it hardly compares to anything you've seen of me before, and... and I feel...  _inadequate_ ,"

"I'm sure it's fine," Anti gasped through his groans, Dark's pace quickening again as she resumed her tugging motion. "P-please, can I...?"

Dark sighed deeply in return, realising that no matter what she'd say, Anti wouldn't stop wanting this. "If... if you truly want to, Darling, I won't stop you,"

She was going to regret this, she knew. Once Anti caught sight of the abomination lying between Dark's legs, it would become awkward and tense between them. Why hadn't she just stayed conventionally female? Why had she felt the need to alter her entire appearance instead of just her upper, more obvious half? It wasn't as though Wilford would have been doing any groping if they met in person- not while Dark was committed.

Why had she been so  _careless_?

Anti bit his lip nervously, not wanting Dark to think he was forcing this on her- because really, he understood wanting to abstain from sex in favour of maintaining simple intimacy, possibly more than any of the others back home. He knew Dark was aching to be touched, to be held, to be loved, but... he also knew that Dark had her own issues to deal with before she could trust him, trust  _herself_  to engage in such an act. He didn't want her to do something she'd be troubled by remembering in the future, no matter how strong his desire to roam her body grew.

"Seriously, we don't have to if you-"

"Anti," Dark growled in frustration, her hand tightening around his cock, causing him to cut his sentence midway with a breathy groan of pleasure. "Just  _touch me_  if you want to touch me,"

"F-fuck," Anti moaned aloud, trying to recover his short term memory as his brain grew foggy with lust, the friction between them driving him close to insane. "Stop- stop it, Darky, let me..."

Anti pried Dark's hand from where it had been teasing his flushed skin, grabbing her by her waist and pulling her close to him. Their lips met in a messy, unorganised kiss- the water streaming into the open spaces between their mouths as they moved clumsily together, Anti trailing his fingers down to Dark's pelvis, feeling around.

It was certainly a whole new place down there- but Anti wasn't turned away by that at all.

Instead of the thick, heavy weight of Dark's cock, there was nothing dangling there to wrap his hand around, nothing to tug or fondle, to bring Dark to the edge. But at the same time, her delicate folds were nowhere to be found- Anti's fingertips brushed against a solid bundle of nerves, protruding from the soft flesh of Dark's pelvis, and Dark gasped against his lips, throwing her head back in pleasure so hard that the shower wall vibrated on impact.

" _Shit_..."

Anti felt her hand wrapping around his shaft again, resuming her rhythm as Anti pressed hesitantly around the skin of Dark's nerve bundle, feeling a familiar slick coat his fingers as he trailed down to where her vaginal opening should be. It was hardly easy to get to- there seemed to be a thick layer of skin tissue covering it, wrinkled and warm and wet, but Anti slipped his fingers underneath and found what he'd been searching for, slowly pressing a digit inside.

He smirked against Dark's lips, daring her to challenge how much he loved doing this with her again as she whined lowly, gasping into the kiss. When would she see that it was no hassle- that Anti loved being with her, that he didn't mind any of the things she called outlandish?

God, he really wanted to pin Dark against the wall and shag her until she was senseless, but this was bad enough, he knew- Schneep had told him about the dangers of forcing early labour with sexual activity, and Anti had resolved to keep their touching to a minimum- but today hadn't really been... planned. Still, Dark had needed this. He wouldn't apologise for showing the love of his life just how much he adored her, how much he enjoyed her, how much he'd want her no matter what she thought of herself.

He curved his fingers like he had the night before, already knuckle deep inside her as he brushed against the wrinkled tissue within that had brought her so much pleasure with every touch. She was coming undone in his arms, falling slack against him, her hand ceasing its calculated motion on his length- but the sight of Dark alone like this was enough to bring him over the edge.

"You're so  _hot_  like this," Anti praised, mumbling against her lips as she let him please her, finally letting go of her control, her hands shaking at the pleasure. He added a third finger, rubbing his thumb against the erect nub that Anti now assumed was her clit- just much larger and more pronounced- feeling her clenching again around him, quivering with heat as her climax grew ever closer.

"Anti..." Dark mumbled, biting her lip as she closed her eyes in blissful intensity. "I... I'll..."

"Come for me Darky," Anti urged, moving his fingers even faster as he felt her reaching her breaking point, going stiff in his arms before she grew weak at the knees.

He caught her as Dark shuddered out her orgasm, breathing heavily as she held her face in her hands, the stubble that had started to appear on her chin spreading a little further down her jaw and thickening as the seconds passed.

The bundle of nerves Anti had been fondling was growing larger, thicker, longer- where he'd once been able to put his fingers there were two familiar lumps growing, taking the place of Dark's lower lips as her little groans grew deeper, rougher still.

Dark's shoulders shrank slightly, her chest becoming toned and muscular, her wide baby belly still visible for the world to see- and when Anti gently pried her arm from her face, he smiled in kind recognition. It had seemed so long, though it had only been a day since Anti had seen those small, almond shaped eyes. Those brows, those lips...

"Hey handsome," Anti teased, enjoying the way Dark's cheeks tinted in embarrassment at the compliment.

"You flatter me too much, Dear," Dark sighed, though he didn't look disturbed at all by the comment. He was smiling- beaming, leaning on Anti's shoulders as he moved his coarse hands across the length of Anti's cock, squeezing the last of his arousal out of him as Anti's breathing deepened.

With a small cry, Anti felt himself releasing all over Dark's thigh, the ribbons of white being washed away promptly by the persistent stream of water that now felt icy to the touch.

Anti panted out his exhaustion, leaning forward to press a wet, messy kiss to Dark's already spent lips.

"Fuck, I love you," Anti breathed, licking along Dark's bottom lip lazily as the demon chuckled, returning the kiss and trailing his fingers idly down Anti's side.

"I love you too," Dark smiled. He sounded a lot more confident in this body, Anti noticed- was it because they'd spent more time together while Dark was male? It must have been- Anti was just glad he was feeling better, glad that the shower sex had helped him let go of his worries after all. Maybe he could come up with good ideas every so often- maybe, he wasn't always a waste of space.

"Is the baby okay?" Anti asked, pressing a hand to Dark's bump once more. Hopefully, she hadn't heard any of that- but in the event she had... well, Anti was probably going to teach her to curse at some point regardless.

"She's perfect," Dark answered, his voice lilted in mild curiosity. "Why wouldn't she be?"

"Schneep told me there's danger in fucking before the due date," Anti admitted sheepishly. "I thought the risk was worth it today, but..."

Dark chuckled under his breath. "Oh, Anti- the baby can't be harmed by sexual activity. You would know if you had triggered anything- for a start, I'd be in a lot of pain, and... I'd warn you beforehand, alright?"

Anti sighed in relief, already planning their next intimate encounter out in his head now that he knew it wasn't all bad. "Oka-"

There was another knock.

"Um- sorry, guys, I don't want to cut it short but we're kinda in the middle of a drought, so..."

"We'll be out in a moment!" Anti called, letting Dark shut the water off as he stepped out of the cubicle. The room smelled damp and musty, and even though the remnant of their activities had been washed away, the atmosphere lingered on. Anti could still smell the sex on them- but he was too pleased to care all that much.

They'd never been given explicit instructions not to fuck in the shower, after all.

"Okay- I've put your clothes by the door as you walk out,"

"Thank you, Amy," Dark called out, and Anti heard her chuckle as she wandered away again.

Dark's fingers traced Anti's own as he smiled, taking his hand up to kiss Anti's knuckles. "Look at you, Dear... you've become as wrinkled as my grandmother,"

"You should tell me more about your family," Anti urged, laughing a little at the joke. "About Damien and Celine... I find it fascinating,"

"I know you do," Dark sighed, unable to keep the lazy smile away. "Perhaps later I shall tell you about their mother- our daughter's namesake,"

Anti kissed him softly, not even bothered by the cool air drying their skin tightly in the absence of clothing. "I'd like that,"

Anti opened the door, sorting through the clothes Amy had given them thoughtfully. It was obvious which belonged to Dark- those were a decent few sizes bigger, and Anti looked over them with appreciation for Amy's attention to detail. She'd picked out a loose T-shirt and some baggy trousers for Dark, probably not wanting to force her into a dress again after what had happened today- and Anti had a couple of clothes he'd seen earlier in Jack's suitcase.

Why couldn't Peevils be this considerate?

Anti supposed it didn't matter- Peevils was out of their lives, and he'd never have to worry about Dark being taken away from him again. Dark loved him. He'd always come back for him- this, Anti knew now, after so long spent not understanding the fact that the two of them had a unique bond... He felt a lot more confident himself after today, truly. He'd proven to himself that he had something over Wilford- something over any and all of Dark's past lovers.

He had Dark's trust. He knew Dark's secrets, his insecurities, his fears- things he'd never told another soul. Anti was the only exception.

_Damn right I'm the exception- I'm everyone else's antithesis after all..._

"What's on your mind?" Dark asked, and Anti knew all too well that Dark could just check for himself- but he didn't, and Anti felt his heart swell as he realised that the demon was holding back for him. Waiting for him to express his thoughts without just gleaning them using his mind magic...

"Just finally understanding why you named me how you did," Anti smiled, handing Dark his clothes. "Now dress up- nobody but me gets to see that ass,"

Dark snorted under his breath, leaning in to give Anti one last, lingering kiss. Softer, but firmer- determined, but simple all the same. His heartbeat quickened and he couldn't help the smile that broke the loving embrace, pecking his lover on the lips a final time.

"Indeed," Dark agreed, "and likewise. Cover yourself before someone else snatches you up,"

Anti rolled his eyes. "Right. I'd bet that the only one aside from you who ever wanted me was Wilford, and that was probably just as a trophy,"

"He admires your spirit," Dark smiled, pulling on his boxers and trousers, covering up the still glistening skin that Anti yearned to hold for longer. "But yes- he has no romantic intentions towards you. He'd suck you off for bragging rights, that one... I'm sorry that I didn't get the chance to meet with him earlier-"

"Darky, you were in no state to meet him," Anti interrupted, tugging his shirt over his wet hair. "You were in tears at the thought of him seeing you- heck, imagine what it would have been like if you two  _had_  spoken,"

"Still," Dark sighed, letting Anti pull the hem of his shirt down so that it rested just above his hips. "I owe him an apology, if nothing else,"

"Well, considering it was complete chance that we ran into him today, I'd say we couldn't avoid him if we tried in the future," Anti muttered. "I just... don't want anything like that to happen to you again, you have no idea how it feels to watch someone you love just... just break down like that Darky,"

Their hands were touching, fingers entwined, and suddenly, Anti was in Dark's body again. He was staring down at himself, his younger self- and he was crying, screaming, the bloodied knife wound on his throat wider than ever, his arms slick with crimson.

Then, he was standing outside the manor, watching Dark with calculated eyes as he lunged forward, burying his knife in the demon's chest- but Dark didn't even flinch. He wrenched it away, tossing it aside as he raised a hand and crushed Anti's already torn throat like it was a twig. He watched his own body dissipate, remembering just how painful it had been- but not having heard Dark's anguished sob of regret that followed...

And then, he watched as Dark pinned Anti against the wall of that dressing room, faltering his fatal strike just as Anti had been forced out of Jack's body. If Dark had any intent to kill Anti, Jack would be dead- but Dark  _hadn't_ wanted to hurt him.

It was painfully clear now, as Anti flinched away, the tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Yes, I do," Dark countered patiently. "But that's in the past, Dear- I insist, I've taken up far too much time with this pitiful emotional imbalance- what do you say we go downstairs and, er... try to act like today never happened?"

"I won't act like it never happened," Anti refused, "that's just counter-productive. But going downstairs and making today an even better date sounds pretty good to me,"

Dark sighed happily, resting his head momentarily on Anti's shoulder. "I know I said it earlier, but... you're truly the best I could ask for,"

"Until today, I didn't believe it," Anti smiled in response, linking his hand with Dark's as they left the steamed up bathroom behind them, walking down the stairs that led to a confrontation that neither particularly wanted to face- but now that they had each other, they knew they'd be fine. They could handle anything the universe wanted to throw at them- whether it was a crazed mustache-wearing murderer or simply a couple of uncomfortable questions- Anti knew they could make it.

He had faith in them. In Dark, in  _himself_ \- and it was the happiest, most fulfilling thing he'd felt in a long while.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

"How dare he?!"

Wilford slammed the door to Abe's apartment shut as he stormed inside, picking up the mug of cold coffee he'd only just finished making when he'd been whisked away to a crowded park in the middle of the city by unknown forces. The detective raised an eyebrow at him, but he seemed rather used to this behaviour by now- they'd been living together for a couple of days at this point, what with Wilford having nowhere else to go. Abe may have been a resilient man, but he wasn't heartless- how could he have let Wilford out in the real world when his mind was still stuck in the seventies?

"Who?" Abe sighed, putting the morning paper down as he folded his arms.

"Dark!" Wilford huffed as he washed out his cup angrily- it was a miracle it hadn't broken yet under all that strength. "After  _everything_  I've done for him- he  _doesn't want to see me_. Why, I left my home to live with him in that accursed Void- I abandoned my search for Celine for him, I gave up everything- and he's never once cared!"

"Slow down," Abe commented. "I can't hear you over that obnoxious accent."

Wilford growled in response, giving up and throwing his mug in the sink, watching it break into several shining ceramic pieces. Abe stood with a start, his gun trained on the mustached man in seconds.

"What the fuck was that for?!" Abe shouted, and Wilford barely flinched at the noise. He was crying despite himself- his face red with anger, his head pounding. He was hurt, offended,  _heartbroken_  that Dark hadn't wanted his company. After all, Dark was the only friend that he'd ever really known since...

"I have to find them," Wilford decided, ignoring the weapon that remained pointed at him as he walked over, grabbing hold of Abe's arms. "They're all I have-"

"What are you talking about?" Abe hissed, dropping the gun at his feet and shoving Wilford away. "Just- just fucking tell me instead of breaking my stuff, okay?!"

"Celine, of course!" Wilford explained as if Abe was but a child. "She'd never cast me out like that- and Damien, too. Oh, I need to find them... tell them I'm sorry for not staying in touch for all these years-"

"You're delusional," Abe interrupted, shaking his head. "You can't just- just fucking waltz out there and expect to find people you haven't seen since the thirties. They're  _dead_ , Colonel. The best you can hope for is talking to the Chef and the butler again- you should just sit down, and relax-"

"How can I relax when they're out there?!" Wilford exclaimed. "They're not dead- how can they be dead? If they're really g-gone, then... then my life is just..."

Wilford slumped on Abe's old sofa, head in his hands. The detective didn't really know how to respond- only a minute earlier this man had been shouting, breaking things, then he'd been determined and chivalrous, and now, he was crying? Abe had seen Wilford go through more emotions in the past few seconds than a hormonal teenager, and that was saying something.

The man shook in his seat, sobbing uncontrollably as the tears fell into his lap. "I-I... I'll have sought after them f-for nothing... all the p-pain, and the hurt, it... it doesn't mean anything, does it? I see them, Abe- I see them in my dreams, in my v-visions... I don't know when, or wh-where but it's the three of us t-together. We look so... so h-happy..."

"It's in the past," Abe swallowed, recalling Wilford's uncanny ability to see into the future from their confrontation in the seventies. But it couldn't be real- what were the chances of finding the mayor and his sister in this day and age, even if they were still alive? No, he must have been remembering a simpler time in his life, a time before Abe had come along to witness the ruin that the Barnham family had become.

"B-but it..." Wilford sniffed, wiping his eyes and nose with his sleeve. Abe reluctantly placed a hand on his shoulder, and the mustached man pulled him into a desperate hug.

"Whoa- okay, that's a lot of touching," Abe muttered, prying himself from the embrace as Wilford continued to sob into his lemon yellow button-up.

"Sh-should I really j-just move on?" Wilford uttered, eyes half open as he gazed blankly at the wall. "And g-go back to living with... but h-he..."

Wilford turned to face Abe, sadness brimming in his eyes, and the detective felt something inside him stir in pity. This man was a murderer- albeit an unknowing and delusional one. He'd killed several people that Abe cared about, he'd even shot the detective in the heart once- but he was... broken. Abe had to wonder if he could really even help it after all these years.

"I'm sure it'll all work out in the end," Abe said, trying not to give Wilford too much false hope. After all, what with Markiplier's lookalike walking around out there, Wilford was sure to get a lot of attention if he roamed the streets again. It wouldn't work out in the end- and Wilford seemed to know it.

But to his credit, he took it in his stride.

"Will you help me... at least  _try_  to find my friends?" Wilford sniffed.

Abe felt his resolve crumble, sighing as he looked at the gun he'd dropped on the floor. He was getting too old for this- it had been several long years since he'd thought of what had happened at the manor, but... he couldn't hide from his past forever. He'd been growing rather bored of this simple, apartment life anyway. Perhaps even entertaining Wilford's fantasy of finding his friends unscathed would provide him with some excitement.

He picked up the weapon again, reluctantly sliding it into his vest. He'd never even disabled the safety switch, knowing that the real cops would be at his door in moments if he'd fired at Wilford, no matter whether it hurt him or not. It wasn't as though he lived in the most friendly place in LA, after all- there were a lot of homicides just in this neighbourhood.

"Alright," Abe sighed, helping Wilford to his feet. "I'll bite. Lead the way,"

Wilford crushed him in another hug, his mustache tickling Abe's nose as the man pressed a big, happy smooch to his cheek. Abe recoiled in a measure of disgust, already regretting his life decisions and wondering how easy it would be to stage an accident to escape the madman- but he was committed, now.

"That's the spirit, m'boy!" Wilford called jovially, the only remnant of his sadness being a few tears that he promptly wiped away, already standing by the door. "After you,"

"Yeah, sure," Abe sighed, adjusting his vest. This was going to be a long, tiring adventure.

**~Void~**

"He really lives in this shithouse?" Peevils queried, tilting her head as she observed the two houses they'd come across. Google had entered the one on the left- a modest looking suburban home that looked as though it was recently built. Beside it, there stood... well, Peevils supposed she would call it a shack. The roof looked like something out of a skate park, and the windows were a little too meticulously placed for her liking. At least, she knew, Anti had more sense than to build something like  _that_.

"I'd live here," Wiish shrugged, picking at her fingernails with her knife. "Though it'd have to be a little less... brown,"

"It's ugly," Peevils sniffed, folding her arms. "I'd like to tear it down, but I'm nowhere near as strong as he is. How many egos do you think he's got in there?"

"At least eight," Wiish replied, counting up all of the ones they'd watched run past in her head. Blank, Google, the guy with a skull hat and his other robot friend- not to mention the guy in a cat mask and the red haired crossdresser. Plus, Anti himself was in there, and Wiish had seen someone dressed in a long trench coat and a blindfold standing by the window.

"That's too many," Peevils tsked. "How good are you with your knife?"

"The best," Wiish smirked, recalling the first ever demon she'd taken down when she arrived. The other woman was a lower class entity when compared to Dark, Peevils had told her, beating down her triumph as if it was nothing- but Wiish had been proud. Killing a succubus on her first day here was an accomplishment she felt that nobody else could claim. Peevils was just jealous.

She seemed to be jealous a lot of the time, really, if the way she spoke about Anti was any indication of her personality. But she was fun to have around- even if Wiish could have killed her at any time, she enjoyed the company. But after she finally found Anti and persuaded him to be with her... she wouldn't need that from Peevils anymore.

She grinned as she ran her fingers along her blade. Just a few more hours and she'd finally be rid of the bitch she'd had to endure living with for the past two years. Whether she was more excited about meeting her man or killing off that slut, she wasn't entirely sure. It was a close contest.

"Don't toot your own trumpet so much," Peevils scowled. "I'd bet you couldn't even last in a fight against that damn Host- and he's  _blind_."

Wiish rolled her eyes.  _Soon_...

She was about to speak again- but the door creaked open, and she ducked to hide in the shadows. It was that man in the hat- Anti's brother, Peevils had called him- and he was dragging the other search engine over to the less-impressive house of Anti's neighbour. Wiish had to admit that his taste in friends seemed... questionable. She'd have to cull them, especially if they built houses like these. Besides, friends would distract him from her, and she didn't want that. Perhaps, they'd all have to go...

"What are you doing, we could have killed them right there!" Peevils hissed, elbowing Wiish in her side. Wiish frowned, kicking the other ego's heels and watching her fall to the imaginary lawn that the residents maintained.

"Bitch,"

"Skank."

"Shut up!" Peevils urged, dragging Wiish forward as they crept closer to the house. "This is our chance- we need to pick these losers off first,"

"Why do we need to kill them?" Wiish groaned. "It's just... a lot of work, I could be spending my Saturday so much better-"

"What, you think you're not strong enough to take them now?" Peevils taunted. "Think you're gonna run back to my turf and wait it out? I thought you wanted your man, Wiish?"

Wiish scowled, her silver eyes flashing menacingly. "Shut up and let me through,"

 _Oh, Wiish... so easy to manipulate_. Peevils smirked at her own cunning- she'd have gotten rid of this wench years ago if it wasn't so easy to get what she wanted from her. She was a useful, if disobedient pawn- Peevils couldn't wait for an upgrade.

The door flew open again, and someone new ran out- his face marred with tears, his rich red robes flowing behind him. He wore a crown and had what looked like peanut butter smeared across his face, and he was running away from the houses like his life depended on it. Peevils cursed aloud, able to recognise that ridiculous outfit anywhere.

"Shit... I thought they were alone in there,"

"Well, do you want to take him out?" Wiish snarled challengingly. "I'll lend you my knife,"

Peevils rolled her eyes in return. "Like I need that mangy blade to do my dirty work..."

She skulked after him all the same, and Wiish made to follow her, eyeing the house behind her warily. She wasn't bothered by death and destruction- she found it entertaining, actually. But something told her that Anti might not approve of her murdering his friends outright. She'd have to be sneaky about it, do it all behind his back, make him believe she was just an innocent, charming little woman... yes, that was the way.

Still, she didn't want to disagree with Peevils just yet. The pink haired bitch was still useful- her brute strength could come in handy when it came to meeting and subduing Anti. At least, until Wiish grew tired of her overwhelming amount of shit...

They'd barely made it twenty feet when Peevils reached the man, stepping on the back of his robe and watching him fall to the ground with a soft thud and a cry of alarm.

"Fuck!" He cursed aloud, sounding as though he'd been sobbing for a long while. Poor baby. Well, Wiish had no issues with putting him out of his misery.

"Oh, boo hoo," Peevils jeered, watching her victim turn to face her with terror in his soft brown eyes. "If it isn't Squirrels... huh, still a whiny little bitch baby, I see,"

"Oh, fuck  _off_ ," the man sniffed, tearing his robe away from her foot as Peevils stumbled, glaring at him with golden eyes. "Dark banished you, you cold hearted psychopath..."

"Oh, but Dark isn't here, is he?" Peevils simpered, grabbing hold of Squirrels' arm and holding him in place, looking over at her accomplice. "Wiish, take him out,"

Wiish scoffed at Peevils' instructions, not wanting to be degraded to a simple lackey- but she had to play it safe for now. Though the other woman was growing increasingly more difficult to tolerate- one day, she told herself.  _One day_. She spun her blade in her fingers, smirking at the man as his eyes flew open in shock, plunging her knife deep into his chest.

And then, it... moved?

Peevils was so shocked that she let go of Squirrels' arm, fixing Wiish with an incredulous look. She couldn't explain it- knives just didn't  _fall out_  of people- this had never happened to her before. She didn't really know what to do- she could only stand and watch, and hope that the answer would come to her as the knife continued to thrash, splitting the fabric it was embedded in even further.

He was still breathing- still conscious and standing, yet there was undeniably a lot of blood blossoming from the site of the wound. His robe came undone, and then the tear grew wider, and...

He choked out a sob, holding his chest as something furry and soft-looking fell out, a knife wedged in its side. It was... a squirrel. A  _squirrel_? A damn rodent, but he looked so horrified that even Wiish felt a twinge of sympathy for him.

"M-Molly?" The man uttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he cradled the creature close to him. "N-no, no..."

"King?!"

The girls turned hastily to the source of the sound, seeing many more than just eight other egos streaming from the house on the left- Peevils recognised most of them. Host, and the doctor, and Google and Yandereplier- but the others must have been new around here. They were incredibly, impossibly outnumbered- but still, they didn't move.

At the front of the horde was Blank- his black eyes looking worried and his brows furrowed. He faltered as he realised what was happening, throwing all caution to the wind as he ran towards the scene, not even remembering that he was trying to avoid his ex at all costs in spite of his pain.

"Molly!" Blank screamed, anguished, kneeling beside his once-lover and brushing a hand over the squirrel's blood-matted fur, tears brimming in his deep black eyes. He buried his face in King's shoulder, sniffling despite his fear of confrontation. Their pet squirrel- their beautiful, happy, loving Molly... she was dead. She was  _dead_...

Wiish shook herself out of it- she'd certainly killed more pitiful egos before- summoning another knife and moving to finish the job- but a strong hand caught her own. It wasn't Peevils, nor Blank- not even the King she'd initially attacked. No, this was someone else- someone that looked hauntingly familiar, yet... different.

     

His hair was dyed blue, a glimmering crown studded with various gemstones sitting atop his head, the red matching his puffed, stripy sleeves. He looked more than a little ridiculous- wearing a black hoodie with a golden zip and a robe over the top, a pair of mismatched pantaloons and brightly coloured stockings leading into his simple black shoes. Peanut butter was spread generously on his cheeks, his skin turning red with anger. He faced the pair with cold, black eyes.

"She's gone..." he grunted, his voice a disarray of tones that hurt Wiish's ears, making her wince as she stumbled, ready to break into a run. Peevils be damned- she knew danger when she saw it.

His eyes narrowed, and he knocked her knife aside as if it was nothing, shoving Wiish onto her back and deflecting the punch that Peevils aimed his way.

"She's GONE!" He bellowed, dark mist streaming from him as Wiish found herself overcome with the tiny, blade-like claws of rodent feet, scampering across her body and crushing her underfoot. The black, goo-like creatures bit and scratched at her until she was dragged to her feet by Peevils, their hands linked as they retreated as quickly as they could manage, the swarm of squirrels following them into the endless expanse of the Void.

The Autophobe watched them leave through the tears welling in his eyes, gasping and clawing at his throat as his robe began to feel tight and strangling. He couldn't breathe, and his skin was puffing up, turning  _purple_. He collapsed to his knees, his vision swimming, unable to keep his form stable as he was forced to split apart.

King rolled out of the fusion, eyes shut tightly, losing himself in his grief-stricken sobs. She may not have been the brightest animal out there- certainly not the easiest to manage, but she'd been... she'd been special. She was all he'd had left of his time with Blank, the one thing he could stand to remember without bursting into tears... she was dead, and gone, and he was covered in her blood. He gagged, though nothing but bile reached his throat.

Beside him lay his ex-boyfriend, struggling to breathe through the lumps and bumps that were forming on his face. His lips were swollen red, his eyes barely visible beneath the puffed up skin of his eyelids, barely able to groan out a cry for help. He could vaguely hear voices, cries, people asking him if he was okay... he'd thought he could never get worse than he'd been in the past year, but... he'd never felt so defeated.

He felt a sharp jab in his thigh, but his vision still faded out, nothing remaining but the foggy echo of ringing in his ears.


	27. Chapter 26

**~Void~**

"Are you okay?"

Bim was staring at his feet, feeling... numb. He... he hadn't expected King to just run off like that. To call off their sham of a relationship and just... leave. He thought he'd... mattered?

No, that wasn't the word. He knew he still mattered to King- he knew this was hardly the end of their friendship, but he'd thought he mattered...  _more_. He thought, maybe, he was entitled to a little bit of an explanation at least. King looked so upset, but... he'd walked in the opposite direction to Anti's house. He hadn't gone to see Blank.

Why, then, had he left Bim behind? Weren't they best friends? Didn't they tell each other everything?

He hadn't even had the chance to speak before his fake-ex-boyfriend was gone, out the door, with no possible way of finding him. He could only trust that the rodent-loving man wouldn't wander too far, trust that he knew the dangers of being out in the Void alone. Dark had always warned them not to stray from the edges of his territory, speaking of demons and foul creatures that would stop at nothing until they met a fate worse than death.

Really, Bim just hoped that King was okay.

Bing had placed a hand on Bim's shoulder in reassurance, fixing him with a look of sympathy as the show host wiped the forming tears in his eyes. The android had come in with Chase to talk to the pair about Blank- Google had found him kicking around somewhere, bringing him here, and... and King hadn't taken it so well.

Bim sniffed, wiping his nose.

Why was he crying?

"F-fuck..." Bim said aloud, watching as Chase left the room, maybe to follow King and make sure he didn't do anything stupid. "I... fuck."

"Not anymore," Bing said on impulse, before clamping a hand to his mouth in shock. "Shit- sorry Bim, I couldn't help it,"

"I..." Bim sighed, holding himself close, not even caring all that much for the terrible joke. "It's... fine."

It was most definitely not fine. Bim could see it. His android brother could see it. And if everyone else was on their way over, they'd all be able to see it. Bim had never been an exhibitionist- he'd hated public displays of affection, he hated being the centre of attention, because compared to his brothers... what did he really have? He was old news, forgotten, sticking around because of the occasional traffic that his videos would pick up. He had nothing to say... King had always understood him. Even though King was stronger than ever now, he was the only one who still had time for him.

_Not anymore..._

He shouldn't be so upset by the harsh breakup- hell, they weren't even really together. It was a fact he had to keep reminding himself of, one that was growing more difficult to come to terms with, every day. Because he  _liked_ how King's fingers felt when they held hands, and he liked how King spent time with him, and though he made a face and denied it, he liked when King would make those awful nut jokes and call him pet names... it never ceased to bring a smile to his face.

He'd liked a lot about the proximity, the close knit relationship they'd developed, even the friends-with-benefits thing they'd fallen into had been wild for the day or so it had lasted. He liked it when King called him his boyfriend, even though it was hardly the truth. He'd liked it when King had gone out of his way to show affection for him, no matter how fake it was- he'd liked it all a lot.

He... liked... King?

Oh God.

That was it, wasn't it?

"Damn it," Bim cursed, his heart welling up and sinking like a brick. He couldn't like King that way- it wasn't  _right_. They were family- they'd always had each other's backs, they'd always been close as brothers... but what else could he come up with to combat the idea? It wasn't like Wilford had ever gone out of his way to treat Bim as anything but a casual affair, it wasn't like he could be missing someone- he'd never had a romantic relationship before.

Sure, Mark had written him with feelings for Matthias, but Bim had never known the guy. He'd beaten them away after a small while, thinking them ridiculous- it was nothing like what he'd shared with King.

But King had had Blank once- and they'd been as close as two people could get while they'd lasted. What if King wanted that back? Blank had loved the affection, loved the attention, basking in it when King offered it to him, not shying away and hiding like Bim.

He could never compare to that blue-haired ego- everyone knew it. Blank was everything King adored and more- and Bim couldn't even tolerate a few squirrels running around. There was no contest between them- if King wanted anyone, it would be Blank. He'd lost his chance before he even realised he wanted it...

The tears were hot and wet, and they streamed like molten lava down his cheeks as someone else tapped his shoulder.

"Bim, look at me..."

Bim sniffed again, looking up into the concerned, caring eyes of his older brother Doc. He'd been in the know about Bim and Wilford- heck, Bim was certain he'd even been involved with Wilford at some point or other. How else would he be able to act so sympathetic when Bim cried out his troubles, venting about how the pink haired man made him feel so  _pathetic?_ How else would he know just how dismissive and ignorant Wilford could be of other people's emotions?

"Are you alright?" Doc asked gently.

"I-I..." Bim sniffed, clenching his fists though he was only angry at himself. How could he have let this happen? "It doesn't m-matter-"

"Of course it matters," Doc frowned. "Why shouldn't it? Your emotions and feelings are quite valid, Bim. I know that when Henrik and I had our last big argument, I was in tears for hours... you're never too old to cry,"

"I'm a f-fucking idiot," Bim uttered, blinking back the flow of salty water from his eyes. "I... let myself w-walk into this,"

Doc and Bing exchanged a glance, and the android stood from his seat reluctantly.

"Look, dude- I'm here for you," Bing promised, giving Bim a little smile. "If you ever need to talk, or- or you need someone to hang with, I'm always here,"

"Thanks..." Bim sniffed.

"What happened?" Doc asked when they were alone again. He'd figured that Bim might not feel comfortable sharing his information to Bing as well as the doctor himself, knowing that the game show host valued his privacy above all else. Sure enough, with a shaky breath, Bim made to answer him.

"S-so you know how W-Wilford and I used to..." Bim trailed off, sighing. There was really no other way to put it, was there? "Fuck?"

"You two weren't very quiet about it," Doc acknowledged, eyebrows raising. "This is something to do with him, then?"

"Well... King actually only pretended to date me so that Wilford would stop," Bim said hurriedly, burying his face in his knees. "We were never... never actually a... a thing,"

The doctor seemed... surprised. He looked at Bim up and down, hesitating before finally speaking his thoughts aloud. He'd thought that their relationship was genuine- the way they looked at each other, how close they always were, and how they'd speak about each other when they were apart... they'd seemed like a happy, healthy couple. He supposed it was too good to be true, in hindsight...

"I... had no idea it was troubling you so much," Doc sighed, shaking his head. "But he would never pursue you without consent- if he'd known it was making you uncomfortable, he'd have-"

"No, no!" Bim said hastily, face reddening. "It wasn't that... that I was uncomfortable, but I... I just felt... useless..."

"Useless? How?" Dr. Iplier probed, concern in his eyes. He'd been so distracted with Chase's mental health in the past year that he'd neglected to even consider how everyone else might be suffering... first Marvin, then Anti, and now Bim... was there anyone here that lived a normal, happy life?

"I..." Bim sniffed, wiping his eyes again. "I just... felt like... he didn't care about me-"

"Bim, listen to yourself," Doc interceded. "This is Wilford. No matter how attached you get to him, he's... well, he's a crazed killer with a thirst for sex. He doesn't feel things like you and me, and you  _know_ this. I _told you_  this, remember?"

"I know," Bim uttered, ducking his head in shame. "I... I was a fool, but... but I really thought that getting out of that... that relationship would help me,"

Dr. Iplier sighed. "Bim, look at me. I can't speak for how you really felt, but these past months... you've looked happier than ever with King. A little awkward, but... well, we all had a first love once. You saw what transpired between Host and I- neither of us knew what we were doing... Bim, you need to admit it to yourself,"

Bim looked up with glassy eyes, afraid of his brother's diagnosis. He knew just what he was about to say, after all- he'd come to the conclusion himself, but still... it  _terrified_ him. He'd lost his composure- his  _control_. He felt as though he was hardly in charge of his own heart anymore.

"You have feelings for him." Doc said knowingly, and Bim didn't know which Iplier he was referring to, but... damn it, he knew it was true either way. He was... attached, to Wilford, in a way that he hated himself for every day. But he was also attached to King, and that wasn't what he'd planned- not at all. He'd wanted to be free of the burden- free of the trouble, but now he was torn between two men who could never love him in return.

"I'm... I'm terrible," Bim sniffed, running a hand shakily through his hair. "I... shouldn't."

Doc was about to speak again, when a piercing yell sounded from outside the house. Both brothers flinched in shock, and Doc scrambled to his feet, beckoning Bim to follow as he tore open the front door.

Bim could see two figures collapse on the ground, one of them unmistakably King- the other was difficult to make out, but if he counted the others as they emerged from Anti's house... it could only be Blank. That blue hair, those dark clothes... yes, that was him. The man that had once walked out of King's life, leaving him with only Bim to talk to.

King was crying as Bim ran over, sobbing as he clutched something red and furry close to his chest. Bim felt his heart sink- it was one of King's pets, and they... they were very dead.  _Fuck._

"Blank- Blank, canst du hear me?!" Schneep called, running over and inspecting the fallen ego. With a start, Bim realised that his skin was reddish purple, enflamed, all puffed up and constricting his throat- like he was having some kind of allergic reaction... Bim had only seen it happen once, when Ed Edgar had too much alcohol when they were younger, but... this was strange. Was he allergic to pet hair?

Blank breathed feebly in response, closing his swollen eyes. Schneep cursed aloud.

"Ach, Scheiße- I hope zis vorks... Blank, hang tight-"

Schneep suddenly held an EpiPen in his hand, and he plunged it deep into Blank's thigh, wincing at the jolt his lower body gave upon contact. Bim had reached King by now- but the man hardly noticed he was there. He reached out to place a hand on King's shoulder, remembering that despite all of this romance nonsense they'd fallen victim to, they were still best friends.

King leaned into his touch.

"Hen, what happened?" Doc asked, the air of urgency in his tone. He sounded worried, upset... Bim couldn't blame him. So much had happened in the span of only a few minutes that even he was confused and terrified.

"Zhey... zhey fused, und became vone..." Henrik breathed, sitting beside Blank and checking his pulse. His skin seemed to be calming down a little- or was that just wishful thinking on Bim's part? Despite everything- all of the pain King had gone through when the man had left, Bim just couldn't bring himself to hate the blue-haired man. He hoped he would be okay...

"The Host informs the doctor that Peevils murdered one of the King's pet squirrels," Host muttered, hand tightly clasped around Robbie's as they stood away from the scene, probably not wanting to interfere with what was happening. The others that were gathered here seemed too shocked to speak aloud, their eyes widened, their mouths agape and terrified.

Just what had Bim missed?

Doc gasped aloud in realisation. "Molly?"

"Molly." King affirmed, his voice quieter than a rasp. He stood, cradling her in his arms, his eyes meeting Bim's sadly. Bim didn't know what to say- he'd never been attached to the damn creature- hadn't even known her name until the other week, but she was special to King. How could he convey his sorrow for King's loss, when he hadn't even shown compassion for her while she was alive?

King closed his eyes, letting the tears fall. He turned away, to face the doctors, and Bim felt his heart break a little more. He didn't deserve this man, he knew it... but his heart still held out the irrational hope that they'd be more than friends again.

"What's wrong with him?" King whispered, looking at Blank's still shuddering form with glassed and teary eyes.

"Er ist experiencing anaphylactic shock," Schneep said, brushing some of Blank's hair to one side. "From vhat, I cannot be sure, but... but considering his original, I could hazard zat it vas caused by ze exposure to peanuts vhen you fused,"

King looked as though he'd been smacked in the face. "He...  _peanuts_? But he can't be allergic to nuts, Schneep- we dated for months, and he..."

It seemed to click in his mind. All those nights- how his lips had swollen after a kiss, how he'd rash up occasionally, how he'd get puffy eyes that even the doctors couldn't explain away... had it always been like this? Had he always been so close to killing the man he loved?

Why hadn't he said anything?

"Dammit Blank," King sniffed, his torso covered in the blood of their beloved pet. "I've already lost one friend today, I don't... I don't want to lose you, too,"

Blank inclined his head, but didn't speak. Schneep tittered under his breath.

"Egos- return to ze house. I must treat him vith antihistamines, und make sure he receives plenty of oxygen... komm, Doc, let us retire. King... you should come as vell,"

King gulped, still shuddering, and Bim looked down at his feet. He had no right to follow, he knew- King didn't want to be near him right now. But... King was his  _friend_. If nothing else, surely he'd appreciate...

But  _no_. Bim couldn't just deny them their moment like this- he was  _nothing_ to them. He shouldn't take the spotlight from the ones that needed it the most.

He reluctantly waited behind as the others made their way towards the house, unsure of just where to go. Doc gave him a meaningful glance as he picked up Blank's body, carrying him inside, but... it did nothing to soothe the ache in his chest.

He wasn't even useful to King as a friend, was he?

Was he useful to  _anyone_ at all?

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

_Yes, feel it._

_The_ _p҉_ _ain._

_The suffering._

_It's what you deserve, isn't it?_

_̨_ _I͟s̡_ _ņ'_ _t̢_ _̸_ _i͘_ _t_ _?̢_

One slice after the next, the crimson began to pool around his feet as he choked through silent sobs, flinching with each harsh movement of his wrist.

The lines were thin, and they jeered at him, taunting him, urging him to go deeper.  _Coward. You were never worth it. You can't even handle a scratch..._

Tears rolled from his eyes. He'd never done this before, never experienced the pain of a sharpened shaving razor gliding across his pale skin, but somehow he craved it like nothing else. He'd thought it would make them stop- the terrible, terrible voices in his head that reminded him of all the wrongs he'd committed- but it had only made them stronger.

 _͏_ _Path_ _e͡_ _t_ _i͢c͏_ _._

 _What would he think of you_ _n̶_ _ow?_

_He never loved you._

_He never_ _҉_ _w_ _i͝_ _ļ_ _l̡_ _._

He moved the blade angrily, tearing into his skin and watching with morbid satisfaction as the blood started to spray. All up his arms, all down his legs... when would it be enough? When would they leave him alone?

When would they all just leave him  _alone_?

_Harder._

_Deeper._

_Faster._

_Like you_ _m̵_ _ean̛ it._

He  _did_ mean it. He meant all of it- every apology, every thought, every destructive action he'd taken to ruin himself. He deserved it, didn't he? He'd forgotten who the words belonged to, but they were pulsing, aching through him, released only through the wash of red that covered the bedsheets. He'd grown too tired to care who they belonged to- he only knew that they were  _true_.

_It's better now, isn't it?_

_Keep going._

_Soon, it'll be worth all the pain you've caused._

_You're horrible._

_D҉i̷s͘_ _g̛_ _u͏s_ _t_ _i̕n̢g͢_ _._

_Who could ever want someone like you?_

_Silent._

_Boring._

_Dưll._

He caught sight of his reflection in the stained steel, his aqua hair matted to his forehead, the skin of his lips bitten and broken, hiding beneath his mustache. He'd tried- he'd tried so hard to avoid this, but he'd had no choice. The voices, they just wouldn't leave him be... they were there, whispering to him, reminding him that he had no right to be here when he'd started so much trouble. He didn't know where they'd come from, or how they'd broken down all of his walls, but... but they were stronger than him.

_You're weak._

_Wilford saw it._

_He was playing you for a_ _f̢_ _oǫ_ _l̷_ _._

 _͠_ _A_ _r̡_ _e_ _̷y̡_ _ơ_ _u͝ ̵a͜_ _f_ _o͟o͞l̷_ _?_

_You must be._

_Sneaking around with Dark's boyfriend..._

_You already have a_  ͏ _deat_ _h͡ ͜_ _wi_ _s̵_ _h._

_Isn't it easier this way?_

Yes-  _yes_ , this was so much easier. The first few strokes had been so difficult, so jarring, so...  _wrong_  against his skin. He'd cut shallow, and his skin had become littered with pale white lines, not even deep enough to draw blood. He'd swiped harder, more furiously, the voices in his head cheering him as if he were winning- but there was no winning here, was there?

He'd felt the crimson fluid start to flow, at first a trickle that ran from his calf to his heel, followed by another, then another- until his entire leg was a mass of red with no reprieve.

It was... beautiful, in a sense. The way it sparkled in the light of the room, the way it cascaded down, getting tangled up and matted in his leg hairs, just like the touch of a man he'd used to love.

But then, it was horrible-  _horrible_ , that he'd fallen so far that his only comfort was the sharpness of steel against his skin- horrible that he felt he couldn't speak about this to  _anyone_. They'd mock him, accuse him of seeking attention, try to medicate him like they'd done to Anti...

_They could never understand._

_But we do._

_We know_  ͢ _w̢_ _ha_ _t͜'͝s̢ ̴_ _be̛st._

_You know what to do._

_But you don't have the_  ͘ _c͢_ _ou_ _r̢_ _ag̸e._

_You aren't worth it._

_You're not even worth it to_ _y͏ou͟_ _r_ _s͞_ _e̛l̛f._

 _You're a_ _j͜_ _okȩ._

 _J_ _u̷s̕_ _t̛_ _d̵_ _o_ _̷i̷_ _t!_

Jameson whimpered silently, drawing the razor up to his throat with shaking hands. This was best for everyone, wasn't it? He'd caused nothing but pain, and hurt, and regret... Wilford was gone, because of him. The egos were out of home because of him. Anti was suffering, because of  _him_. Dark was probably hurt and angry, their relationship was probably falling apart- all because of  _him_...

What use was he really in all of this? He was nothing but a block in the road, a barricade, a worthless piece of junk just floating around from one bad choice to the next. It would be better if he was gone. He  _knew_  it. The  _voices_ knew it. The voices knew best...

He dragged the blade across his throat.

"Jameson!"

With a silent squeak of surprise, Jameson flinched, cutting the edge of his chin with his razor as he found himself engulfed in a hug. It burned- it was  _fire_ all along his torso, his arms, his skin tingling and throbbing with hurt as he sobbed, trying with all his might to push away the doctor who'd done nothing but help him through this ordeal. But he was too  _weak_.

"Gott im Himmel- JJ, vhat have you done to yourself?!"

He was vaguely aware of the doctor's hands pulling up his sleeves, exposing his impurities and breaking the scabs that had already started to form. Blood ran fresh from his arms, dripping heavily onto his trousers, and he just  _couldn't_  meet Schneep's eyes.

How could he? They'd only be disappointed. Disappointed in  _him_.

 _As he s͝h̴ould_   _be._

_You disgusting creature._

_You should be asha̵m͞e̛d͘ o͡f y҉ourse͘l͞f._

"Komm, JJ- zis is not... you vould never- ach, take off zis shirt before I cut it from you!"

He couldn't stop crying, the pain was too much for him to bear. The cuts, the prickling of his skin, the weight of carrying this burden alone... it was too much to handle. He didn't want to handle it, anymore...

He could feel the blood seeping from his neck, but he'd  _failed_. He hadn't cut deep enough. The voices were jeering, laughing, taunting... he couldn't even kill himself properly, could he?

_Can you do anything right?_

_Face it._

_Yo̕u'̶re͢ n҉oth̴in͠g̷..._

He could feel Schneep ripping away his clothes, his skin cooling as it touched the air- then, the pain doubled,  _tripled_... cold, wet antiseptic ran across his arm in washes of stinging torture, and JJ flinched away, finally looking up into those condemning blue eyes.

Worry and hurt shone back at him. He'd made his brother cry- he'd made  _another_  brother cry... why did they stick around? Why would anyone want his company after what he'd done?

Jameson looked down, bunching his discarded shirt in his fists and crying into the blood-soaked fabric, trying to hide his shame. He didn't know why, or how, or... even  _when_  this had started. It felt as though he'd lived with it forever- always weighing him down, making it hard to breathe, crushing him from the inside out... he couldn't explain it.

Hadn't he been so happy, once?

"JJ- Jameson, talk to me!" Schneep begged, reaching out to grasp the mustached man's fingers in his own, feeling his pulse weakening as more blood trickled from his many wounds. "You're acting like- like..."

Jameson heard him gasp, and give a worried groan under his breath. He still couldn't meet the doctor's eyes.

"Like Anti..." Schneep muttered, shaking his head. "B-but... ach, please don't let zis be..."

"Darling?"

Jameson's eyes flickered to the door as his brother's fiance entered the room, looking concerned. Oh  _no_.  _No, no no_... he may have been able to talk Schneep out of probing him, but now that Iplier was here... he shouldn't have done this. He shouldn't have done  _this_ , he... he really was hopeless, wasn't he?

"I heard shouting, are you- oh,  _shit_ , Jameson!"

JJ blinked aside the tears, not knowing how to respond as the doctors swamped him, treating his wounds and wrapping them gently as if he were some sort of war hero. He didn't deserve this- he'd chosen to mutilate  _himself_. He'd wanted to die. Why couldn't they see that?

"Go, fetch Anti," Schneep urged, grasping his lover's hand. "Er must komm hier, so zat ve can... can discuss zis, just... hurry, mein Schatz- Schnell!"

"I..." Dr. Iplier started, running a hand through his hair. "I- okay, just... just don't let him do anything stupid,"

"I vould never," Schneep promised, and Jameson watched with bated breath as the figure of the doctor faded from his view. He let out another silent sob.  _Anti_... what would the glitch say to him? Was it too much to hope that he'd understand?

_He'll never understand._

_He's not as ter̨r͜ib̧l͝e as_ ҉ _yo̧u._

_It's your fault you act this way._

_It's your fault you've become so w͡e͟ak̢._

_It's a̛ll͟ ̶̛͞y͢o̸u̕r̨҉͟ ̷̡̢f͜͡aưl̶͘t̢!̸_

"Vhat is ze matter vith you, Bruder?" Schneep asked worriedly, wiping the cut on Jameson's jaw with a brown fluid that stung mildly on his skin. "Vhy vould you even consider...  _zis_?"

Jameson didn't know how to respond. He shook his head, the tears rolling out of him like washes of blood from his slit wrists. There were bandages, and he was aching all over- though not quite as much when he'd made the wounds- and he looked down to see the blood-bleached white covering his arms. His legs.

His throat.

He touched at it gingerly, wincing at the pain. Schneep patted his back hesitantly.

_He doesn't want you._

_He doesn't even want to touch you._

_He can't st̡and ͡yo̡u._

_N͟o̴ne̴ ǫf ͟th͡em͏ ca̷n̢..._

"Vhy don't you trust me, JJ?" The doctor mumbled, and Jameson could feel his heart pounding out of his chest. He knew he was being pitied- he knew that behind his mask, Schneep was judging him. He'd been judging Jameson since that night with Anti- they  _all_ had.

Not that he could blame them. He'd been judging himself, too.

He stared bitterly at his lap, afraid to move in case he did something else wrong. It seemed to be all he was capable of, lately...

**~Groundlands~**

Mark was coming home to see to the egos that he'd been saddled with- Amy had spoken to him briefly on his way back, telling him that Dark was having a crisis, and that she'd spoken to Wilford in the park- his heart had sunk with dread. Hearing that Wilford Warfstache was anywhere near her had been enough to spark his worry- but apparently, the pink-mustached man had barely spoken two words to her. Apparently, he'd been more invested in Dark.

Mark didn't know the details- heck, Amy didn't even sound like she knew the details, but he knew that she'd sent the couple upstairs to shower and sort things out. He walked inside, still wearing those ridiculous disco-themed clothes for the skit, when he was hit with a sudden wave of crippling nausea.

He gripped the closest counter to keep himself upright, groaning under his breath as he fought desperately against whatever was invading his mind- he'd learned long ago not to trust demons, after all. He grunted out a cry of 'Amy!' before doubling over, losing himself to the ego that then stood, brushing off his clothes, looking down at his bright clothes and making a disgusted face.

"What the hell am I...?"

Mark was fucking  _terrified_ \- That was his voice, and his lips were moving, but he hadn't told them to make a sound. He looked around and surveyed the room, but it wasn't  _him_. Was this what had made Seán so anxious that day he was being possessed by Anti and Schneeplestein? Mark felt he'd handled himself well- if he was in control right now, he'd be screaming like the little bitch he knew he was.

The ego shook his head, walking briskly around Mark's house, rapping urgently on the first door he found. Mark didn't know who it was- but he was almost afraid to ask. Whoever was currently in charge of his body seemed to be in quite a hurry.

"Anti?!"

Mark could have cursed- of course, it must have been someone coming to fetch that glitch- perhaps they'd finally noticed that he'd been missing for over a day. He allowed himself to relax a little- it was only one of his own egos. But... well, he didn't have a record for having the most  _stable_ personalities.

 _Who are you?_  Mark thought, not expecting to hear a response.

"I'm Dr. Iplier," his body spoke aloud, still walking in a rushed panic from room to room. "I'm sorry for possessing you on such short notice- but Jameson might be dying,"

_I- what?!_

"Anti!" Dr. Iplier shouted again, running a hand through his hair. He groaned aloud.

"Mark?"

_Oh, thank fuck..._

He whipped around to find Amy, standing in the doorway, looking a little worried, out of breath.

"Oh, thank God, they're on their way down," Amy greeted, walking over to him. "I didn't know if I could... uh, handle this alone, but- well, Dark's-"

"I'm sorry Miss, but I need to talk to Anti," Dr. Iplier interrupted, holding out a hand in effort to stop her. "Do you know where he- wait, Dark? What happened?"

Amy cocked her head to one side, staring at him uncertainly. "You... you're not Mark, are you?"

_She's smart... of course she's smart, where would I be without her?_

The doctor shook his head again. "No, no- I'm Dr. Iplier. I have to find Anti, please, it's an emergency,"

"Oh," Amy said, eyes widening in recognition. "I mean, I- okay, they're just upstairs, they should be here any second. What kind of emergency?"

"Jameson is acting strange," Dr. Iplier confided, tapping his toes impatiently as he watched the door Amy had come through. "He is locking himself away, and Henrik and I just found him cutting- and, well, Anti is the last one he spoke to,"

_Jameson... oh, fuck, the guy Anti cheated on Dark with?_

Had it really only been a week? Today, they'd seemed so... happy. This was all going so fast that Mark could barely keep track of what day it was- he'd been all over town visiting hospitals and studios, trying to avoid the police and the reporters that wanted to know about his relation to Mark Doom... it really had only been a few days, hadn't it?

He wished he could forget about problems as easily as egos could.

Amy's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh... shit. Hang on, I-ll..."

She turned, cupping her lips as she called a little more insistently. "Anti, Dark! Hurry up, the doctor's here to talk to you, it's urgent!"

She sighed, fiddling with the ends of her hair worriedly. "Sorry, Doc, they... Dark had an accident today, and they're only just recovering from it,"

Dr. Iplier frowned in return. "What kind of accident?"

"They-"

"Doc?!"

Anti cut Amy off as he walked into the room, his hair a little less green, his eyes still shining bright with newfound concern. Dark followed, his bump preceding him as he kept close to his lover. They both looked fairly... relaxed.  _Well, not for long._

"What is the matter, Doctor?" Dark asked in a serious tone, eyes immediately narrowing upon seeing who was here.

"It's Jameson- we just found him cutting himself, we need you to... I don't know, be there? Just- quickly, he was losing a lot of blood-"

" _Cutting himself_?" Anti asked incredulously, exchanging a worrisome glance with Dark. "I-"

"Dear, he needs you," Dark said with determination in his tone, reaching out to grip Anti's hand in his own. "Go to him- for the love of all things good in the world, don't let him follow the path you fell into. I'll be here when you're done, but- please, hurry,"

Anti breathed out slowly, giving Dark's hand a gentle squeeze. "But I... if we..."

Dark fixed him with a knowing look- and Amy seemed a little lost, but left them to their conversation anyway. "Do what it takes," Dark ordered him. "My feelings are insignificant when compared to the prospect of suicide, Anti- he needs you more than I do. Go!"

Anti shuddered out one more breath, sitting on the sofa before his eyes began to fade from green. Bright, concerned blue that brimmed with tears replaced them, and Seán held his head in his hands. Mark caught himself as he was suddenly returned to his own body- taking a moment to blink before groaning aloud.

"Fuck," Mark grimaced, sitting beside Seán.

"JJ?" Seán uttered disbelievingly. "I mean, I... I know that the fans think he and Anti are the same person, but..."

Dark placed his hand on Seán's shoulder, meeting his worried eyes with a small, barely convincing smile. "Trust in the doctors, Seán, they will help."

Dark could only hope that they'd save him before it was too late. If Anti had to be there, and... and anything had to happen, Dark knew it would be for the best. He pushed aside the lump in his throat, sitting beside Seán and beckoning Amy to join them.

For now, they could only wait.

**~Void~**

At first, Anti didn't know what was happening before him- there was blood everywhere, green light emanating from somewhere near as he wrenched the door open, running inside. He could see two figures sitting on Wilford's bed, one of them dressed in all white, the other wearing a coat and glasses. He felt Dr. Iplier materialise behind him.

"Schneep?" Anti asked, walking further in. "But where's- oh,  _fuck_ ,"

Jameson was here- he hadn't been dressed in white like Anti had thought initially- no, he was covered in bandages. From his wrists to his shoulders, from his ankles to his calves... there was a big, bloodied piece of fabric wrapped around his throat.

Anti reached out to touch his own neck wound, not knowing whether to hug the man before him or cry.

"JJ?" Anti whispered. "Why would you..."

"Er vill not speak to me, Anti," Schneep told him, the hurt clearly ringing through in his tone. "I found him like zis, vith... blood, all over him. Er ist acting... strange,"

Anti felt his gut start to crawl with worry again- first Dark, and now this? Anti didn't think he was really qualified to be dealing with these sorts of things, but... if JJ would talk to him and him alone, he knew he had to try. It was the least he could do, especially after how they'd both been screwed over the other night...

"James... can you hear me?" Anti started, sitting in the driest patch of sheets that he could. The mustached man sniffled, nodding feebly, but didn't meet his eyes.

"Can you tell me what's wrong?" Anti tried, reaching out to grasp at JJ's hand. He ran his thumb over a slit that was partially visible, watching as his brother's face twisted in silent pain. He shook his head. His lips parted, and he mouthed a word- though Anti couldn't read it. He looked at Schneep for guidance.

"He said zat er ist shaking too much," Schneep translated, summoning a whiteboard similar to the one JJ had used to communicate with Anti before, and offering it to the mute man without hesitation.

Jameson took the board with trembling hands, uncapping a black marker and scrawling out a message. It was barely legible, but Anti gasped as soon as he deciphered it.  _No... not you too..._

"Voices?" Anti croaked, heart sinking with dread as JJ nodded glumly, wincing at the pressure on his throat.

"Can I... see?" Anti asked, gesturing to the bandages.

"Nein- noch nicht, Anti," Schneep shook his head. "Zhey are healing over- but zhere... zhere vere many cuts of all shapes und sizes,"

"Shit..." Anti breathed, reaching out to run a finger along Jameson's jaw. "What happened here?"

"Er vas surprised vhen I found him like zis," Schneep explained, gesturing to an old-fashioned shaving razor that was lying on the opposite side of the bed. "He... he vas slitting his throat,"

Anti felt tears brimming in his eyes- tears of knowing, maddening sympathy... if Jameson was hearing voices, if they were driving him to do half of what they'd managed from Anti... it was a wonder they'd even arrived in time to stop this. Nobody had been able to save him the first time he'd taken his knife upon himself- he'd already pushed everyone away.

Jameson probably didn't know just how lucky he was to have people that cared.

He cupped Jameson's cheek, lifting his face so that he could meet his eyes.

He did a double take.

"J-James, how did you..." Anti gasped aloud, brushing away some of the man's tears as he gazed into piercing green eyes, identical to his own. The mustached man flinched away, closing them, sobbing silently into his bandaged wrist.

Anti met Schneep's eyes. "This is bad,"

"Indeed," Schneep swallowed, looking as though he was lost for words. "His Augen... zhey have never done zis before. Have yours always been...?"

"Always," Anti agreed with a small nod, not removing his hand from Jameson's. "And the voices, I... I've always heard them too,"

"But zis is different for him," Schneep frowned. "I... Doc, vould you please go downstairs und tend to Blank? Zis may take a vhile,"

Anti had forgotten the other doctor was here- but then he was leaving, his footsteps echoing slightly on the floorboards of the room before the door creaked shut.

Anti looked at Schneep with alarm, wondering just how much he'd missed in the past day. "Blank?"

"Es ist a long story," Schneep sighed, "but zis is more important- ze only thing still troubling Blank is his pride. JJ... vhen did zis all start?"

Jameson shivered, giving Anti's hand a squeeze as he reluctantly met his eyes once more. They were crystal blue again- had Anti been hallucinating?

No, no he couldn't have been. Schneep had seen it too.

"After... after that night?" Anti whispered. Jameson nodded, tears rolling again down his cheeks. He held up one shaking finger, then mimed dragging his fist across his his arm, and for the first time, Anti understood what he was trying to say.

"That was the first time you... you hurt yourself?" Anti blinked, his heart reaching out for his brother as he nodded slowly. Anti... Anti had turned to his blade after that night as well. But it was hardly something new for him- he'd been hurting himself for years, years before Jameson even knew about it. Had he given the mustached man the idea, when he'd walked into that fateful room to see Anti slicing open his arms?

"Oh, JJ..." Schneep sniffled, wrapping an arm gently around Jameson's torso, being careful not to touch his wounds. "Vhy didn't you come to me? Vhy didn't you say something?"

"It's," Anti started, choking slightly on his words. "It's hard to... to want to reach out, when you're suffering like this, isn't it?"

Jameson nodded, cringing away when Anti inched closer, just wanting to take away his pain. Anti understood- he understood better than anyone, but he also knew that Jameson wouldn't believe him. He hadn't believed it until now that anyone would want to help him through what he was feeling- it took him until he had to comfort someone else, to speak to them about how he felt, for him to realise... that maybe when people say they care, they really mean it.

Their fingers linked together, and Jameson felt himself tugging subconsciously, wanting a hand to hold through this. He felt his heart calming down, his breathing growing lighter, his head pounding at the loss of blood that he'd brought upon himself.

Anti felt cold fingers clasp tightly around his own.

"I understand, James," Anti mumbled, smiling reassuringly despite the sympathy pain that was brewing in his chest. "I know... trust me, it'll all be better in the end. I don't hate you- I could  _never_. I... I love you, like a brother, like... a close friend. Schneep loves you too,"

Jameson stilled as Schneep squeezed Jameson's other hand, smiling through his tears. "Ja- I do, you must believe it vhen I say I do. Und I loved Anti as vell, long ago, but er... he did not see it until it vas too late. Jameson, I can tell you vith certainty zat zere is not a single ego here zat does not cherish you,"

"He's right," Anti supported. "The rest of our... of our brothers, they all love you too. And Dark, and Doc, and the other Ipliers... even Wilford,"

Jameson flinched harshly, and Anti was afraid he'd said something wrong- but he persisted through it, holding Jameson's hand, refusing to let him go until he realised that he was just as loved as anyone here.

"It's true," Anti affirmed, despite Schneep's disapproving look. "I... I saw him, in the Groundlands today. He was lost without you- I don't want you to take him back- hell, I don't know if I trust him to be with you again, but... but he loves you. He always has,"

Jameson seemed to crumble, resting his head against Anti's shoulder as he sobbed, his tears clinging to the folds of Anti's shirt and not letting go. Anti was content to let him cry it out, to be the pillow he'd wished he'd had when he was at his worst all those years ago- and Schneep backed off a little, letting the two have their moment.

Anti was crying, sniffling, and then... then he was laughing. Laughing at the absurdity of this situation- of being the one to provide comfort, of being the solution to someone else's problem instead of the cause. He felt... valued. Like he was able to fix what he'd started, like he could be there for JJ when nobody else could. He could feel the rumbling of Jameson's chest against his, and sensed that the younger ego was laughing as well... he clasped their hands tighter together, bringing him closer, until there was no space between them.

Until there was no  _them_ , anymore.

     

No, the man that was sitting there, one hand still gripping the doctor's, was different- his aqua hair shone in the dark, his eyes glowing bright green against his pale skin. He was wearing a blue vest over his black tee, his arms and legs covered with soaked-through bandages, but he wasn't in pain.

He was laughing, chuckling quietly under his breath as his mustache tickled his cheeks, his tear-stained skin slightly red from crying. Schneep looked on proudly at the unnamed fusion, smiling to himself when there was a flash of green, and-

Anti's lips parted from Jameson's one final time, his chin bleeding and his arms not much better, but... he didn't really care. He'd lived with himself for so long that the sensation of his skin being torn apart was almost routine to him- and he was already starting to heal, much faster than Jameson could have managed, as the mustached man tentatively opened his eyes.

Pure, crystal blue. Anti sighed in relief, unable to stop himself from laughing again, his clothes growing ever more matted with red. He tugged Jameson's bandages away, revealing smooth, milky skin beneath. JJ looked his arms over with wonder.

"Don't do it again," Anti urged, smiling through his happy tears. "Promise?"

Jameson seemed infinitely better- well, he still looked a little rough around the edges, still a little saddened, but... but at least he wasn't borderline suicidal anymore. It seemed that Anti had taken back the negativity, the pain, the emotions he'd projected onto JJ- he could feel them weighing down on himself now, pushing him to the ground, but he was too elated to care.

Jameson offered him a bashful smile, holding out his pinky finger, and Anti met it with his own- they shook on it.

"I... I am glad zat is over," Schneep coughed, alerting them to his presence. Both of the Septiceyes had almost forgotten he was here- but Jameson smiled at him, pulling him into a hug, crying it out into his shoulder. But these tears were fewer, and lighter, and Jameson certainly seemed... happier.

Anti smiled at them, standing nervously as the last of his wounds closed and dried up. "I... I should get back to Dark. Tonight's our last night together, and I... I don't want to miss it,"

"Of course," Schneep agreed, though he fixed Anti with a hardened look. "But ve vill discuss zis again vhen you return-  _all_ of us. I feel zat ve have kept our secrets for too long,"

Jameson looked absolutely mortified by the prospect of telling the rest of the Septiceyes what he'd done, but Schneep held him through it, caressing his freshly healed arms softly. Anti swallowed.

"You mean, we're gonna... tell everyone?"

"Ja," Schneep said dryly. "Ich bin growing sick und tired of keeping zese secrets for all of you, vhen zhey are nothing to vorry about. Es ist putting a strain on me, und on mein Verlobter... Anti, I vant you all to be happy, I do, but... keeping secrets is not ze vay,"

Anti nodded glumly. "I... yeah, I know. Just... wait for me, okay?"

"Okay," Schneep agreed, smiling as Anti faded out of the Void. Jameson looked at him with wide eyes, panic coursing through him.

"You are scared zhey vill judge you?" Schneep asked, feeling his younger brother tense and nod reluctantly. Schneep sighed, pulling him closer, brushing some blood-matted hair from his face.

"JJ, listen... zhey vill not judge you. Zhey vill be concerned, yes- but none of zhem have any room to be ashamed of you. Ve all have our flaws, our struggles... but zat time vill come later. Please- have a shower, Jameson, you are covered in blood... and don't ever scare me like zat again,"

Jameson gave his older brother a sad smile. The hate, the pain, the voices... they'd all seemed to melt away when he and Anti had fused together. After they'd separated... he didn't know where they'd come from, but if Anti could just  _absorb_  them like that... surely, he'd had some part.

And Jameson didn't believe Anti did it on purpose- he was sure that Anti had no idea he'd done anything, but it was all adding up... did it happen to those that he slept with? Had it happened to Dark?

He frowned, tapping Schneep's shoulder, signing 'D-A-R-K' out with his tremble-free hands. The doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Are you saying zat Dark ist also in danger of experiencing zese... symptoms?" Schneep shuddered. Jameson nodded, his mind whirring. If Anti really had been the cause of this, if he'd done something to Jameson when they'd been intimate... surely, it had affected Dark as well.

"Ve vill talk to ihn later," Schneep promised, though he still looked troubled. "But for now- shower, for ze love of Christ..."

Jameson dearly hoped that Dark was okay- if he'd been feeling half as pathetic and worthless as Jameson had these past few days, it couldn't be good for the baby. The baby... he hoped Anti would let him see the baby when they were born. He didn't like to think he'd messed up that badly, but... well, Dark might not even want to see him when he finally returned.

It was a sad thought, but Jameson was an honourable man. He acknowledged that he had wronged them, and he was willing to live out the consequences, whatever they may be.

His body was still drenched in red, despite having no scars to show for it. Anti had just... just  _taken_  all of his wounds, like they were nothing. He'd meant to thank him, he really had, but... he'd taken enough of his time. He was really just warmed by the fact that he'd come to help him at all.

He stepped into the warm stream of the shower, determined to rid his mind of these past few hours of memories... they were hardly something he was proud of.

**~Groundlands~**

"I'm back," Anti announced when he returned, finding himself sitting on Mark's couch with the other occupants of the house. He felt... well, exhausted. Dark snaked his fingers through Anti's and held him, squeezing them tightly.

"How did it go?" Dark asked, concern still ridden in his voice.

Anti frowned. "He... he was definitely acting weird. He was cutting all over, and he'd half torn his throat out by the time they found him. It was... it was like what happened with me all over again,"

"Is he okay?" Amy queried, getting up from her seat.

Anti sighed in relief, still just thankful that they'd manage to find him and stop him from hurting himself too badly. "He's fine now, I... I absorbed his wounds,"

"Darling..." Dark whispered, smiling proudly. "You didn't have to do that... you must be exhausted,"

"Only a little," Anti denied, though he wouldn't mind cuddling up and retiring for the day. It had been a long several hours, after all. "We... we fused, just for a few moments,"

"... Fused?" Mark repeated. "You... what?"

"It happens when two egos become so attuned to each other's emotions and presence that their physical bodies blend together as one," Dark explained. "I had witnessed it only once, but I was aware that Daniel and our doctor fused during your little war..."

Anti flushed a little, still embarrassed about his part in that disagreement. "Yeah," he mumbled, remembering how brutal it had been. The Psychiatrist had been so... unforgiving. "Psych was fueled by hatred and anger, remember? Me and JJ, we... we were made of love,"

"Awh," Amy cooed softly. "That's sweet. I'm glad you got him back on his feet,"

"I as well," Dark said, giving a slight nod to indicate to Anti that he'd looked at the memory. He wasn't mad about that kiss, he was... he was okay with it. Anti didn't have a desire to push that forgiveness any further.

"Yeah, but..." Anti sighed in distress, remembering just what he'd seen. "He had green eyes, Darky- like mine, but... Schneep said he'd never had them before. And he was hearing voices, he..."

Anti groaned in frustration. "He was acting like  _me_ ,"

"Well, perhaps part of you rubbed off on him that night," Dark said, before flushing a little at his own words. "Er... ignore my insensitive phrasing, Dear,"

"It's fine," Anti said, turning to kiss Dark's cheek softly. "I don't mind- I really... I have no room to deflect it. But that was... stressful, and I just want to spend a nice afternoon with you before I have to go,"

"Well, Mark and I were just going out for dinner with Kathryn and the boys, so you'll have the house to yourselves," Amy said, giving Mark a pointed look.

Mark cocked his head to one side. "We were?"

"Yes," Amy affirmed, not-so-subtly urging him from the room. Dark chuckled as he faced Anti, linking their fingers and wrapping his arms around the glitch. Anti smiled in return, kissing Dark softly as all of the worry faded from his bones.

"We had discussed watching a film," Dark spoke when they'd parted, gesturing to the television before them. "Or perhaps playing some old board games... if you would like to, that is,"

"Can we read as well?" Anti asked hopefully. "I... I like hearing your voice,"

Dark chuckled softly, nodding as he stood from his seat. "Of course, Darling- this is our night. We can do whatever you want to do,"

Anti was content to lie here and fall asleep by Dark's side, but he knew that waiting a few hours longer would be well worth his time. He smiled, giving Dark another peck on his cheek, hardly remembering that it was only an hour ago that he'd been inconsolable, crying about his appearance... how the day had turned, several times over.

"Perfect," Anti smiled.


	28. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys- sorry about the wait on this one. I had some family drama and my subjects were finishing up for the session- but I also finished a series of Valentine's Day one shots that are canon to the series. You can find them tagged as part of this series, called 'Nothing But Love For You' after 5SOS's Valentine song. This chapter is a long-un, so buckle up kiddos :D

**~Groundlands~**

"I do believe I've won the game," Dark smirked, knocking Anti's king over with his remaining white knight. There were only seven pieces left on the board- Dark had been a little worried about playing against Anti, knowing that he had more than ninety years worth of practice over his lover, but Anti had insisted on it. Dark had to admit that he'd held his own fairly well- not too shabby for someone who hadn't touched a chess piece in two years, and this he mumbled to the glitch as he swept the pieces aside. Anti blushed at the praise.

"I knew I could take you," Anti laughed, poking his tongue out teasingly. "It was a good game,"

"Good game indeed," Dark agreed. "Did you want to play another?"

"We could do Scrabble," Anti suggested, pointing to the familiar green logo that was printed on the side of the box they'd unpacked. "The board's a convertible- it's also got Clue and Backgammon,"

"Scrabble sounds wonderful," Dark smiled, letting Anti flip the board over, revealing the assortment of coloured squares underneath. "I'll go easy on you this once,"

"Pfft, you wish,"

It was just like the old days. Dark had been under the impression that he'd have to change the nature of what they did together when they'd started dating- he'd been so worried about how Anti would feel about him, how he'd feel about their activities... Anti had loved to read with him, and play board games with him, and just sit around and laze together, and... well, Dark had been afraid that those simple pastimes wouldn't be good enough for this new era of their relationship.

He'd tried to make everything more centred on their new love life- he'd spent his free time with Anti as he'd always done, but he'd also tried to constantly be doing  _something_ romantic. Whether it was kissing him, or making love to him, or reminding him of how much Dark admired him... but soon, there was just no time left to spend on the simpler things at all. Dark had missed it... and he knew that Anti had missed it too.

Nothing really had to have changed between them at all- they'd sunk back into their roles as close friends easily with just a little more affection on the sides, but Dark had taken it too far. He'd overwhelmed Anti to the point where the glitch was paranoid that Dark was just using him for his body- and he could  _see it_  now.

He couldn't do anything to change the past- but he could change their future. One simple, special moment after another. Truly, he'd never seen Anti happier than he was now- and the best part about it was that Dark was hardly trying.

Dark picked out his letters, trying his best not to listen to Anti's thoughts as he arranged them on his rack. DHUZXWC... not the best of starts, but Dark was hardly new to this game. He wouldn't let a strange assortment of starting letters get in the way of his victory, and he met Anti's eyes with a calm, confident smile.

Anti smirked as he filled in his own rack, and Dark didn't need to read his mind to know that he was quite happy with his letter selection. Dark offered him a grin as he lay down in a more comfortable position- he'd been sitting upright for so long that his spine was starting to ache. He rested his hand on his bump and propped himself up with a pillow he'd taken to the floor earlier, deciding to offer Anti the first turn.

"Would you like the first move?" Dark questioned, and Anti laughed quietly under his breath, as if he knew that Dark didn't have good starting letters. Perhaps Dark was simply too easy to read... or maybe, he'd spent so long around Anti that the glitch had picked up on all of his habits.

"No, it's fine- you can go first,"

Dark sighed- he'd been hoping for another answer. He looked over his letters again, deciding to start simple. He spelled out CUD, knowing that he could hardly make a better word- and Anti cocked his head to one side. Sometimes Dark forgot that Anti's knowledge was rather...  _localised_.

"What's a cud?"

"It's the term used for food that's been partially digested by a ruminant animal, say, a cow," Dark explained, drawing three more tiles and adding them to his rack. "Plant matter is tough, so it has to go through a lot of digestive processes to break down into a small enough particle to be used by the animal,"

"Is it cows that have the four stomachs?" Anti queried, playing the word 'HULK' and writing down both of their scores- Dark was already ten points behind, and some part of him didn't find that pleasant.

_'A minor setback,'_

_ 'I feel kind of bad for him,' _

_'Why is that?'_

_ 'You get really competitive with your board games, Damien, haven't you noticed?' _

_'Oh, I do not...'_

_ 'Remember that time you threatened to drag Will across the Void because he knocked back your piece in 'Sorry'?,' _

_'He was making up rules, Celine- I have integrity, you know, I care very deeply that the game is played correctly...'_

_ 'You're also a really bad sore loser,' _

_'Oh, pish posh...'_

Dark chuckled quietly to himself as the two souls bickered playfully- it was true, Damien did get rather... passionate, about his games. In a way, so did Celine- it just so happened that the two had very different ideas about what the word 'game' entailed.

"I'm afraid I'll have to trade in my tiles," Dark sighed in defeat after trying every possible combination on the board in his head, "I can't make a single move,"

"Oh, that sucks," Anti sympathised, peering intently at his own letters as if he was contemplating something. "I mean... I'd be in the same boat, but I've got a cheap cop out,"

He placed an S on the end of HULK, drawing one more letter from the pile. Dark sighed at the weak play- though he couldn't really judge. He wished he had a single vowel, that would have made this so much easier.

"To answer your question, Dear- ruminants only have one stomach. It simply has four chambers, whereas ours have only one," Dark continued, putting his redrawn letters in place.

Anti cracked a smile in response. "Thanks, Darky... any luck with those new tiles?"

"Hardly," Dark sighed. He'd traded in his V and P for a B and a T- yet he still didn't have many options at all. He pondered a moment longer, placing an H to the right of Anti's S. It was a cheap move, but in terms of possible words, Dark was quite poor. He could feel something stirring in his gut- and he didn't think it was the baby. Perhaps he was getting a little too invested in this activity...

"That rough, huh?" Anti teased, though his next move was certainly nothing to marvel at. He added another H to Dark's- and Dark snorted into his elbow.

"Like you've any room to jeer," Dark chuckled, though he couldn't bring himself to act upset. "I can't believe you got nine points from  _piggybacking_ ,"

"Hey, that was a perfectly legit move," Anti declined, sticking his tongue out at Dark again- how mature. Though Dark supposed that was just another reason he loved him. "Come on- play something better, I dare you,"

Dark raised an eyebrow, his eyes flashing blue as he smirked. "Careful throwing requests around, Darling- I tend not to disappoint,"

He played EX- a two-word combo that gave him 30 points, and Anti whistled appreciatively.

"Not bad," he shrugged, obviously trying to rile Dark up- but the demon was better than that. He'd learned a while ago not to take anything that Anti said to heart. "But I'll catch up,"

"Oh, will you?" Dark challenged.

"Try me,"

Anti's next play earned another 30 points- and Dark began to feel a little out of practice, but he wouldn't concede to this nonsense. He'd simply had a bad start, that was all. He had some of the most high scoring letters on his side, and if he managed to time it just right...

"I hate to place the blame on chance, but I believe that you've had the game in your favour from the beginning," Dark huffed slightly, glaring at his unfortunate arrangement.

"Oh, it's a game of chance now?" Anti retorted humorously. "Well, guess who just reached 100 points, hm?"

Dark looked quickly at the score sheet, and- oh dear, this wouldn't do. He was 47 points down, and the game had barely started. Something inside, his inner Damien perhaps- it didn't want him to give up. He gave a confident smirk- fake it until you make it, that's what their father had always told them.

"Oh, I'll warn you only once," Dark started, playing a simple 10 point word despite his confident claim. "I intend to win this game, Darling- I don't play to lose,"

"Well, you seem to be doing a lousy job of that," Anti taunted, playing the word 'DICK' with a childish grin plastered on his face.

Dark couldn't help but laugh aloud. "Really, Anti? How crude,"

"Hey, it was the highest scoring word I could make," Anti shrugged, though he still wore that immature little smirk. He'd known exactly what he was getting into, the little rascal... Well, Dark couldn't help but bite. It was their last night together for the foreseeable future, and Dark had no qualms leaving him with something to remember him by.

"I have a proposition," Dark wagered. "You've clearly got it on your mind- if you manage to win this game, I'll give you a blowjob,"

"You will, hm?" Anti smirked slyly, batting his eyelashes. "Well, don't get up anytime soon- you'll be back on your knees pretty quick,"

"We'll see," Dark chuckled, noting the growing difference in their scores- 54 points... that wasn't good. But Anti had no idea of what letters he had- they were sitting opposite each other, after all. Dark could continue to make his poker face, and his lover would be none the wiser...

"You'll have to work extra hard- remember, I don't plan on losing," Dark reminded.

"Oh, Darky, I'm always working  _h-hard_ ," Anti snorted, losing his seductive tone halfway through his sentence due to his laughter. "Oh, f-fuck me, I can't do this, how are you keeping a straight face?"

Dark smirked. "I'm a master of my words, Dear. I can make even the most ridiculous statements sound alluring,"

"Amen to that," Anti agreed, watching Dark play out his turn with wide eyes.

"Did you seriously just play 'dab'?" Anti mused.

"My arrangement is unfortunate indeed," Dark sighed, and Anti fought back a snort.

The game continued- one word after the next, and Dark was slowly scoring higher and higher. Albeit an average of 20 points per word, but he was still managing pretty well considering his lousy start- and Anti started to notice the gap between their scores lessening. He furrowed his eyebrows.

Hell no. He  _wanted_ that blowjob. Well, more importantly, he wanted to win- Dark always was rather cute when he was flustered, and he already seemed pretty grey in the face. It didn't stop the demon from smirking at him knowingly, playing the word 'GLOAT' and bringing his total up to 212 points. Anti was only 30 points ahead now-  _shit_ , this was turning out all wrong...

Dark tittered under his breath. "I'm so close I can practically touch you, Dear,"

"You mean that in every damn way, don't you?" Anti responded, noting that Dark had reached out to brush fingers against his thigh, his lips twisted in a knowing smile. Anti sighed deeply- his letters sucked, frankly, and they weren't going to get any better. He played 'ANAL' with a slightly red face, Dark's laughter only furthering his shame.

"You laughing at my points or the word?" Anti asked for clarification, adding a measly eight points to his score.

"You're practically begging for it," Dark chuckled, his cheeks growing ever darker as the game progressed.

Anti rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help smiling. "Look, I'm only playing to win,"

"Of course," Dark said, not sounding entirely convinced. "I think you just miss how I used to fill you up, make you scream my name... I know  _I_ miss it,"

"Well, yeah," Anti muttered, cheeks tinting red as he thought of how Dark had used to dominate him in the early weeks of their relationship- they took turns usually, of course, but... well, there was something about Dark pressing him into the sheets of his bed, holding Anti's hands behind his back as he buried himself inside- something about having that hot, rough sex that appealed to him more than the idea of topping Dark ever would. He sighed.

"Of course I miss it, but... look at you, Dark, you're fucking massive. I don't think a lot of pregnant people can really do that kind of stuff,"

_I don't think a lot of pregnant people even have dicks in the first place..._

"Mhm," Dark agreed, playing his next word. "Not only that, but I doubt your original would appreciate being on the receiving end of penetrative intercourse- nor the giving end, really, considering that he isn't the one in control. I'm sure we're pushing our luck just doing what we have been..."

"He's been quiet," Anti hummed softly, playing a word to combat Dark, but only managing a few points. The gap drew ever smaller. "He stopped talking to me altogether when the others left- I think he'd like to pretend he's not really here,"

"I couldn't blame him," Dark agreed, playing 'ANTI' with a fond smile etched on his face.

"Awh, aren't you the sweetest," Anti teased, tallying up their scores as his lips turned in a frown. 291 to 295- and he was only in the lead by four points.

"I have the feeling you're about to lose your blowjob privileges," Dark smirked cockily.

Anti poked out his tongue in defiance. "What, if you win do I give  _you_ a blowjob instead?"

"Now I certainly wouldn't be opposed," Dark chuckled, playing 'QUEERER' for 16 points. "But perhaps we should wait if that's the case- I'm sure that Seán wouldn't care for it,"

"Right," Anti sighed, watching as Dark's score climbed ever higher. It wasn't that he wanted sex tonight- no, they'd done so much already that Jack probably wasn't okay with, but rather that if they couldn't do anything now, they wouldn't be able to do anything until their baby was born. And Anti was no expert on pregnancy, but he was sure that it was meant to take months before a baby was even developed enough to be born and survive longer than a moment in its body.

He didn't know how long it would be until he got to be with Dark  _properly_  again. And that... that was the real torture.

They were two points apart now- and Anti was all out of letters. He could see Dark measuring up the board, looking for a place to put his remaining tile, and he found his competitive side pleading for there to be no extra space.

But alas- Dark placed it down. 'IS', it formed. Two points, and...

"We... tied," Anti breathed in disbelief. "I- what? I didn't know you could tie playing Scrabble..."

"I don't know how we managed it," Dark said truthfully, "But it is certainly possible."

"Does that mean we suck each other's dicks?" Anti asked aloud, causing Dark to snort a little under his breath. Now  _that_  was a position they had yet to try, though not one that Dark was overly opposed to. From how Anti's weary eyes had lit up at the suggestion, Dark figured that he felt the same.

"Perhaps another time," Dark laughed softly. "When we're both... up to it. I can see that you're growing tired, Dear- I think we should call this an I.O.U. and leave it there,"

Anti licked his lips regrettably. "Okay- but... before bed, I've been meaning to ask you more about-"

"About Damien and Celine..." Dark finished with a sigh, inching closer to Anti and lacing their fingers together as the board was pushed aside. He would pick the pieces up in the morning... 

"I know... but what is there to tell about them? What more information could you want about them, when they're dead and gone?"

"They're not  _gone_ ," Anti said, meeting Dark's eyes with a knowing glance. "You're avoiding this, Dark- why?"

Dark sighed. "I... I'm not avoiding it. I just don't want you to get... get attached to their individual personalities, that is all. I'm here for you, Darling- am I not enough as I am?"

Anti leaned in and kissed him sweetly on the lips, pulling away after a moment to rest his hand on Dark's cheek. "Of course you're enough, Darky- you're perfect. I didn't mean to... to make you feel like I don't care about you. There's just so much I don't know about them, and... and I already know you pretty well, and... well, where else am I supposed to go from there?"

Dark swallowed the retort that he'd prepared, understanding where Anti was coming from, despite his own reluctance to share so much of his past. But... but this was Anti. He  _trusted_  Anti, more than he could trust Wilford, or Septiplier, or even  _Mark_. He forced himself to relax with a sigh.

"That is true..." Dark conceded. "I... I'm sorry for overreacting, Dear. My thoughts have been getting to me today..."

"I've noticed," Anti replied worriedly, kissing Dark's nose and smiling a little as his lips twitched up. "It's okay, Darky- we all have bad days. Some days... I don't know how I live with myself. But I'm here for you, okay? I'll never stop being here for you, even when we're apart, and... and I hate seeing you sad like this. Come on, tell me something happy- show me a nice memory,"

"A nice memory..." Dark mused, tilting his head in thought. "I could show you... oh, but there are so many to choose from. I could show you a birthday party- oh, or I could show you the election, when Damien became mayor... or even Celine's wedding. That was nice, while it was happening. Though the recollection becomes quite... sour, when you consider the monster she was moving to live with..."

"Don't show me the wedding," Anti shivered. "I... I don't really want to think about you being with anyone else, that's not going to make  _me_  happy,"

Dark felt something inside of him warm up as he smiled, brushing his fingers against Anti's as he looked into his eyes. Unbeknownst to Dark, his eyes were shining a warm red. It was the happiest Anti had ever seen those crimson irises, and suddenly... it made sense. Damien was blue. Celine was red. And Celine... she must be finally warming up to him.

Anti couldn't help himself from smiling at the thought.

"You consider Celine close to your heart as well?" Dark asked, feeling rather... elated? Satisfied? Celine didn't know what to think about this affection, but she found that she liked it. Dark was reminded suddenly of everything else that he loved about Anti, and he inched a little closer, just wanting to hold him in his arms forever...

"Of course I do," Anti murmured, smiling when Dark drew closer. "I love  _you_ , Dark- and she's part of you."

Dark chuckled breathlessly, the small space between them seeming to shrink further still. "You... you flustered her a little with that statement, I'll admit. But I think she appreciates it, even if she can't return your affection. She doesn't trust herself growing too close to men anymore, I'm afraid..."

Anti growled a little. "I don't blame her- fuck, I wish I could go back and kill that asshole for laying a finger on her- on  _you_. I... I wish you didn't have to go through that,"

Dark smiled in sad memory. "Will felt the same... but that is irrelevant now, my sweet- I'll show you... I'll show you a family gathering that happened when I was young. Here, take my hand..."

_"Damien!"_

Anti opened his eyes again to find that he felt a lot smaller- the other people around him seemed so many feet taller than he was, and he had pudgy little hands, and the woman who was talking to him looked a lot like Celine. She was chiding him, waving her hand at him, and he looked down as if he were ashamed.

He was wearing a little tuxedo suit, and little was no understatement- if Anti had to guess, he'd say that Damien was around eight years old. But of course, he'd never seen a child before, so he couldn't  _really_  tell. He seemed small, but not small enough to be younger than six, surely...

_"I'm sorry Mother, I won't let it happen again," Damien said, holding his hands a little guiltily below his waist. "I was being irresponsible and it wasn't the right thing to do..."_

_"Oh, Darling- I'm not mad," his mother sighed, leaning down and brushing his tears aside. "I just don't want you to hurt yourself out there- especially not in these clothes, Damien. If you want to ride the horses, you have to change into your outside clothes, okay?"_

_"Okay..."_

Anti felt himself smile. Horses? He'd never seen one in real life, but he'd heard Dark's recount of the horses he'd kept in the Groundlands. Were they one and the same?

_"Desiree- oh, there you are. Have you seen Celine?"_

It was a man- he was rather muscular and broad shouldered, but his almond shaped eyes were soft and caring. He had a handlebar mustache, and a thick beard, and he was wearing a suit as well.

This must have been Damien and Celine's father...

_"She's sitting out in the gardens, Adam- with your sister,"_

Adam frowned, folding his arms as he glanced around the room. He turned to face his wife again, contempt obvious in his tone as he lowered his voice, seemingly afraid of being overheard.

_"It's not Ava, is it? She'll be filling her head with tall tales about witches and fantastical creatures again..."_

_"Oh, let her have some fun, Adam," Desiree scoffed. "She's only nine years old- why, would you rather her be out fraternising with boys at this age?"_

_"I'd rather my daughter keep a level head," Adam sighed heavily. "What about you, little guy? How do you like the rest of the family?"_

_"I think they're loud," Damien commented, looking up at his parents as they stifled their fond laughter. "And ramb... rambunctious,"_

Anti chuckled softly as Damien tried to pronounce the word, his little mouth apparently not yet ready for his own intelligence. Dark's cool hand tightened around his own, and he could feel the little breaths on his lips that told him Dark was laughing too.

_"See, why can't she be more like Damien?" Adam asked, smiling down at his son proudly. "Smart, and ambitious- those traits are what really matters in this changing world, not some silly fantasy stories..."_

_"Darling,_ I _write fantasy stories," Desiree reprimanded. "And it helps to put bread on the table just as much as your sales flow charts, or whatever you do up in there..."_

She was teasing, it was plain to see- and Adam knew it too. He rolled his eyes as if this fact was brought up daily, muttering  _"Yes dear,"_ in a sarcastic tone. She nudged him in his side.

_"Oh, Adam, compose yourself- we have guests! I'll go talk to Ava, and then we can go ride the horses, right Damien?"_

_"Right," Damien responded, but Desiree frowned a little._

_She fixed him with a slightly stern look. "Right_ Ma'am _, dear,"_

_Damien bowed his head. "Yes, right Ma'am- sorry, Mother..."_

_"It's okay," Desiree smiled warmly, all the reprimanding forgotten as if it had never happened. "Come here, come here... go, Adam, Michael wants to speak with you about the numbers,"_

_Adam sighed heavily. "The numbers... always Michael with the numbers..."_

_He walked off, muttering, and Desiree wrapped her fingers around Damien's little wrist, tugging him along gently._

Their house was spacious- large, and open, and full of windows that looked out onto a well-kept garden. Anti watched through Damien's eyes as they trudged through the grassy path, passing several rose bushes before coming to a small clearing. Ornate iron benches were dotted around, and on one of them sat Celine- with another woman who bore a vague resemblance to her, wearing a bandanna over her longer, feathered hair. It was the eyes- yes, they had the same eyes. Celine, and her father and her aunt, and even Damien- they all had pretty brown almond shaped eyes, while their mother's were round, blue, and full of wonder.

       

_"Ah- Ava, there you are," Desiree called. "Adam was looking for Celine- tell me you're not 'casting protection' again, Dear..."_

_Ava held up a hand as Celine made to move, fixing Desiree with a frown. "A witch's work cannot be interrupted, Desiree- I explained it to you before, did I not?"_

_Desiree sighed. "Yes, but my daughter is hardly a witch, Ava- I was willing to tolerate your stories and your fake little magic tricks, but Adam is rather insistent that you-"_

_"Oh, when has what Adam wanted ever had an impact on you?" Ava scoffed. "And this is real,_ very  _real. The fates are laughing at you, my dear. So long as you remain close-minded, so long as you scoff at the power of the third eye- you will not see her for the woman she is meant to be. Do her a service, Desiree, and believe in her- she has a gift,"_

_Celine smiled toothily at Damien, giving him a wave as she ran over in her little red dress, her puffy chestnut hair bobbing as she moved. "Dami, Dami- I saw the future!"_

_"You did?" Damien asked, excitement evident in his tone. "What did you see?"_

_"I saw-"_

_"You didn't see anything, Darling, it was all in your head," Desiree sighed, as if this whole argument was some kind of routine. "Ava... I'm a firm believer that fantasy and imagination are important to our growing minds as a society, but... but sorcery isn't something I want Celine dabbling into, even if it does truly exist..."_

_"Of course it exists," Ava said. "It lives in your children's blood, as it lives in your husband's. It manifests in its own little ways, but I can tell that they are going to be bright young witches someday. It'll be up to you whether or not you can learn to love them regardless,"_

_Desiree gritted her teeth. "Ava... witchcraft isn't accepted here for personal and religious reasons, and you know very well why,"_

_"If God did not want us to be enlightened," Ava started, gathering up her shawl. "Then he'd have left us without the means to better ourselves. I believe in a God that loves us, Desiree- not a God that wants us to remain blinded from our own potential,"_

It had never crossed Anti's mind that Damien and Celine may have come from a religious family- it had never been discussed between them, and aside from throwaway phrases like 'thank God' and 'for the love of Christ', Anti hadn't heard Dark address the topic of a higher power at all. But... Dark was a demon- part demon, at least. Surely he had to have  _some_ mixed feelings about the whole religion thing now...

_"Children, please excuse us," Desiree sighed. "Auntie Ava and I are going to have a... talk. Go and change into your outdoor wear so you can ride the horses before sundown- but please be back before kiddush this time,"_

_"Yes, Mother,"_

_"Okay Mother,"_

Damien and Celine seemed completely oblivious to the tension that was rising between their mother and their aunt as they rushed inside, Damien in the lead and Celine running up behind him. They wound through some hallways, climbing a flight of stairs, and then they parted to enter their respective rooms.

Damien's room was the only one that Anti could see, and it was... rather plain. His bed was simple and his sheets were off-white, embroidered with little dolphins on the ends. He had a little wooden desk in the corner, a stool tucked under it, and the surface was littered with various books and papers that shouldn't have been on any eleven year old's desk, in Anti's opinion.

The walls were covered in flowery paper, the carpet looked white- and overall it looked rather... dull. Nothing like Dark's rich wooden panelling in his room back at the manor, nothing like what Anti had come to regard as... well,  _Dark_. But Damien wasn't Dark- he was only part of him.

Anti had to wonder what Celine's room looked like, then. Was it red, to match her dress? One day, would their own daughter be running around in a dress much like it? What would  _her_ room look like?

Anti barely noticed that the memory had faded until Dark tapped his wrist lightly, waking him from his dream-like slumber.

"Oh, Darling... you're exhausted," Dark fretted, shifting and pulling himself up on the couch, then standing shakily on his feet. He reached down to help Anti up, his knees cracking a little under the pressure, but Anti waved him off.

"I'm fine, Darky, I'm fine, I just... dozed off,"

"You need to rest," Dark replied insistently, pulling Anti up and gripping his hand for extra support. "It's been a long day, Dear- and you've done so much already... come, we'll retire,"

Anti pouted after he yawned, letting Dark guide him to Mark's guest room as he flicked all of the lights off.

"Really, I'm  _fine_ ," Anti muttered, though he let Dark usher him into bed all the same. "I wanted to hear more..."

"Another time," Dark shook his head, kissing Anti tenderly on his forehead. "There'll be another time, Darling... when you and I can spend the whole day talking and laughing together. I promise it,"

"But..." Anti cut himself off with a yawn, covering his face in shame. "I... what did Celine see, that day?"

Dark bit his lip. "She saw... she saw the accident that resulted in Damien's injured leg. That day when they went riding, he fell, and... if our mother hadn't been so dismissive of Celine's vision, it might have been prevented. The fractured kneecap never did heal properly, and... but I could tell you the whole story next time. Rest, Darling, you're dead on your feet,"

Anti sighed reluctantly, his eyes starting to close despite himself. "Darky... come snuggle with me,"

"But I have to pack up the game, and-"

"You're pregnant, Darky..." Anti interrupted. "You're not picking up  _anything_... Jack can do it,"

Dark sighed, groaning under his breath. "It isn't his responsibility to clean up our messes, Dear-"

"He said he doesn't mind," Anti muttered, opening his arms. "Now come here and let me snuggle with you before I get back to even  _more_ drama..."

Dark sighed once more, but still allowed Anti to wrap his arms around his torso, cuddling into his front. He lay in the bed next to his lover, watching as Anti's tired eyes fluttered closed.

"I love you," Dark breathed, pressing a kiss to Anti's forehead. "Sweet dreams, my dear..."

Anti smiled softly, his snores soon filling the air. After a while, Dark felt himself starting to drift off too, and he let the sensation of being held by his lover overcome him as his eyes closed peacefully.

It had certainly been an eventful day- but though he knew that he wouldn't be seeing Anti tomorrow, or even the day afterwards- Dark felt... happy. Pleasantly satisfied.  _Contented._

This time, they'd parted on good terms- with the promise of meeting again soon. And that thought was quite enough to keep Dark going until the day they could be together again.

**~Void~**

Anti opened his eyes with a start- someone was shaking him softly, beckoning him to stand, and his arms were draped limply over the side of a familiar lounge. Dark wasn't there- neither was their baby, and neither, it seemed was a good night's rest. He felt weary, and tired- and somehow it felt even worse than it had before he'd fallen asleep in the first place. He sighed as he moved into a sitting position, stretching and looking at the ego that had roused him. He smiled.

"Hey Robbie," Anti greeted. "How's everything been- how's JJ?"

Robbie cocked his head to one side, confused. Anti supposed he didn't know about what had happened to Jameson- perhaps, Schneep had been saving the conversation for later. Was it later already? It must have been- Anti and Dark had been playing their games for hours, and it was well past midnight...

"He... is... in there..." Robbie sounded, pointing to Halter's house. "With... other... brothers. Whole... family... gathering,"

"Ah," Anti realised. "I've never... actually been to one of those. Is it scary, having everyone there watching you?"

Robbie cracked a smile, chuckling slightly as he responded, "Not scary... at all,"

"Good," Anti smiled in return, ruffling Robbie's hair as he stood and stretched, his bones cracking back into place. "I guess they must be waiting for me, huh?"

Robbie nodded, beckoning Anti to follow him as he walked out of Anti's front door. He was alone- and that was strange in Anti's eyes. Robbie almost always stayed around Host- those two hadn't left each others' sight since Anti had arrived at the manor, but the author-turned-radio-host was simply nowhere to be seen.

"Where's the mister?" Anti queried, closing the door behind him. Robbie shrugged.

"Only... us at the... meeting," the zombie sounded out. "No... Ipliers,"

"Ah," Anti sighed, catching on. It was a family meeting- only family was attending. "Gotcha, gotcha..."

Robbie smiled at him as they walked up to Halter's front door, and the younger ego knocked quietly so as not to startle the half-asleep glitch. Anti's lips twitched in appreciation.

"Why are we at Halter's place?" Anti yawned, and Robbie was about to answer him- but the door opened, and a very worn-out looking Schneep stood in their path. He smiled warily at Anti, the ghost of bags under his eyes only barely visible in the light of the room.

"Ah, Anti- zhere you are... Did you enjoy ze last of your time vith ihn?"

Anti smiled in memory. "Yeah, it was nice... how's JJ?"

"Er ist hier," Schneep sighed, moving to the side and letting Anti see the dapper man sitting on the couch- presumably, he'd been sitting beside Schneep. Jameson looked wary to even meet another's eyes, and Anti felt his heart lurch in pity, wanting to walk over there and hold him like he'd done just hours ago.

"I'll sit with him," Anti offered, and Schneep smiled as he nodded.

"Ja, zat vould probably be best,"

As Anti took his seat, he surveyed the room. Everyone was here- Schneep, Robbie, Marvin, Jackie, Chase, JJ, Septiplier- even Tommy and Clint, and two egos that Anti didn't recognise. They bore similar features to him, but... one of them seemed a lot younger than the others. He looked rather like Anti had in his early years here- but he wore a thick coat and trousers, and regarded him with a cool stare as he took his seat.

The other looked so be some kind of robot- similar to the way Bingiplier had used to look the one time Anti had seen him before his upgrade. He had a yellow fringe and wore a jacket with a glowing yellow logo printed on it, looking rather bored with the happenings around him.

Then, there was Halter, standing by the door. Anti waved his way with a smile- he supposed that they couldn't really kick him out of his own house, after all. Halter's lips twitched up at him in return.

Anti noticed that Jameson had inched closer to him, entwining their arms together and leaning on Anti's shoulder. He felt... well, he felt like he'd been crying. Damp patches still littered the front of his clothes, and his cheeks were still stained red- but at least he wasn't bleeding out anymore. Anti traced the slight bumps along Jameson's arms where he'd taken the razor to himself, having been unable to get rid of the marks completely- and Jameson shuddered beneath the touch.

"It's going to be okay," Anti muttered in reassurance. "They love you, okay? Nobody here wants you to feel bad, JJ, I swear..."

Jameson sniffed, but didn't make any other noise as he sat quietly, looking up at the doctor.

"Now zat ve are all hier," Schneep started, still standing. "I vould like you all to introduce yourselves- some of us are not yet acquainted vith each other,"

"Schneep, why are we here?" Marvin sighed, running a finger through his hair and parting it to one side. It was even longer than when Anti had seen him last- surely hair didn't grow out  _this_  fast. But now it hung by his ears, dangling a little lower than his mask, his hands twitching a little nervously as he regarded the newcomers with something akin to fear in his eyes.

"Ve are hier because ve are family," Schneep explained, giving Marvin a pointed look. "Und ve have drifted apart- some of us more zhan ze others. Zis... zese times have been stressful, Bruder- I have been at my vits end trying to care for all of you, because... because I appear to be ze only vone zat any of you trust,"

Anti could see the others' eyes trail to the ground, knowing that it was true. Heck, it was true for him as well- he may have been friendly enough with the younger of his brothers, but he wasn't sure if he'd even trust Jameson if they hadn't been thrust into this mess together. Schneep was the only one aside from Dark that he'd really ever opened up to- and if the rest of his brothers were the same...

"Now I don't vant you to stop talking mit mir- do not misunderstand me, but... but it gets hard to cater to everyone," Schneep continued, eyes looking slightly red beneath his glasses. "All of you are so different... your struggles unique, und... und zhey require a lot of attention, und... I can't provide zat for all of you any longer,"

He sighed, taking a seat in a lone armchair that seemed out of place in the oversized room. "Ich... I am a busy man, Brüder... Ich bin engaged to be married, und I plan on having a honeymoon, but I do not vant any of you to suffer for my happiness. Truly, vhat most of you need is just... someone to talk to. Und instead of me, I vant you to try opening up to each other."

Anti offered him a reassuring smile, though he felt more than a little guilty. He'd been gone in the Groundlands for hours on end, assuming that the doctors could handle things around here, not even thinking that they could have other things on their plate. And now this? Schneep was definitely handling himself much better than Anti would, in his place...

Jackie stood, clearing his throat and sending Schneep a smile. "Uh- okay, hi. I'm Jackieboy Man, and I'm a superhero- I can, uh, fly and shit,"

Oh Lord... was he  _still_  drunk?

"Marvin, don't let ihn have any more to drink," Schneep chuckled, seeming thoroughly amused by his older brother's antics. He'd been crying, but Anti supposed the tears were simply a side effect of finally speaking his mind. It sounded as though he'd been taking everyone else's burden for a long while.

Marvin gave the doctor a wry smile, standing next to Jackie and slowly forcing him back down onto the lounge. "I'm Marvin, and I'm a magician, but... I'm not actually very good at magic so..."

"Vhat vould Yan say if he heard you talking like zhat?" Schneep challenged, and Marvin sighed through a chuckle.

"He'd... he'd disagree," Marvin mumbled fondly, sitting back down and leaning into Jackie's side, probably to keep him in one place. The superhero seemed to fluctuate from being a sad drunk to a hyperactive one, it seemed. Anti had never really seen him drink until recently, so he'd never really known. How many other quirks did his estranged family have, that he wasn't aware of?

"Who's Yan?" The Bing-esque ego piped up, looking about as clueless as Anti had been when he found out about Jameson, Clint and Tommy.

"Er ist Marvin's boyfriend," Schneep explained. "Do not be afraid to ask questions, little Bing- you are part of zis family as much as any of us hier,"

So he  _was_  a Bing robot. Interesting... Anti just knew that would get confusing later on. If they were going to stick around in the same place, one of the two egos was going to have to change their name.

Chase stood, eyes glued to the yellow Bing-bot with mild curiosity shining through them.

"I'm Chase Brody," he introduced, "and I... I'm actually dating a Bing robot. He doesn't look like you- well, I mean, he looks like Mark, obviously, but he's actually upgraded to a green layout now and..."

Yellow Bing's eyes opened in awe. "Dude, no way! I've been stuck in this upgrade forever- I've been trying to figure out how to bypass my restriction but I've had no luck..."

"Restriction?" Anti asked aloud. "What've you got a restriction for?"

"I don't know," Yellow Bing shrugged. "It's always been there- but I guess I'd look strange being all green. I'd look just like all of you..."

"True," Chase agreed, "especially with that hair- awh, but you look so cool with a yellow scheme, dude,"

Yellow Bing was looking at Chase as though he'd never received a compliment before, golden optics gleaming brightly as his lips twitched in a genuine smile. What was it about Bing robots that made them seem so lifelike?

"Really?" He uttered.

Chase cracked a grin. "Dude, where've you been all my life? Awh, we could have gone skateboarding, or done trickshots together- wait, you have to meet Bing, he-"

"Another time, perhaps," Schneep interceded, though he was smiling at the pair, apparently glad that they were getting along. "Robbie?"

Robbie was quiet as he stood, not quite meeting the others' eyes. Anti supposed he was probably nervous about meeting the newer egos without Host here to comfort him. "I'm... Robbie. I'm... a zombie,"

"Oi, I didn't know I had a zombie for a brother," the other unnamed ego spoke, seemingly curious. He had an accent that Anti couldn't quite place- all he knew was that it was different, and he wasn't sure if he liked it. Like... like British, but fractured and doused in alcohol. Yeah.

Robbie bit his lip, looking rather uncertain. While nobody else was so upfront about it, everyone knew he was different, even more different than Anti was to the rest of them. When he'd first appeared, he'd been very self-conscious and afraid of socialisation, but he'd eventually warmed up to his brothers- though apparently, the fact that he wasn't the same as his family members still rang clear in his mind. Schneep noticed, reaching out to grasp Robbie's hand in his own, smiling reassuringly at the younger ego.

"Komm, Robbie, Angus does not mean to offend- er ist simply intrigued,"

"Angus, huh?" Anti said aloud, flushing a little as several pairs of eyes landed on him. It was almost as if they still couldn't believe he was really here- but then, Anti supposed he'd never actually been to one of these before. They probably weren't very used to him being in all of these situations just yet- it had really only been two months since he moved back in with Dark, anyway. Sometimes he forgot just how slow time seemed to drag on in this place...

"Yeah, name's Angus," the man introduced, holding out a hand for Anti to shake. "I'm the Survival Hunter- Been wonderin' where the rest of my tribe got off to,"

"Tribe...?" Anti repeated, blinking away his confusion as he shook the strange man's hand.

Angus shrugged. "Yeah, the tribe- you lot. Bing here told me about you- said you all had to exist somewhere out woop woop."

"I don't think he's related to us," Tommy said, looking a little unnerved. Clint nodded his agreement. While the other egos had seated themselves together on Halter's oversized lounge (aside from Schneep, of course, who was sitting by the end of it), Tommy and Clint had sat opposite the lounge on a summoned loveseat. Anti had picked up that they weren't very close to the other existing egos at all- but still, he guessed they were family regardless.

"What's your accent?" Chase asked, intrigued.

"True Blue Aussie, mate," Angus grinned in return. "Born and raised in the outback, riding emus and eating Vegemite straight from the jar,"

"You vere born in ze Void, actually," Schneep interrupted with a shake of his head, though he was smiling. "Ach... you egos may destroy mein sanity but you keep me young..."

"Crikey there's a lot of you," Angus sighed. "Can't believe it took me so long to find this place..."

"Did you and... and Bing, did you both come here together?" Jackie asked, hiccuping slightly at the end of his question. Marvin rolled his eyes, muttering some profanities under his breath.

"Yeah, we've been out exploring since I arrived," Yellow Bing answered, shrugging his shoulders. "I knew the rest of you existed, I just didn't know where to look. Angus found me first- said he was looking to pick up a nice sheila, whatever that means..."

"Fuck, mate, it gets lonely when you're out in the bush," Angus groaned to himself. "What I wouldn't do for a nice root every so often, let me tell you..."

"I think a sheila is a woman," Marvin deduced.

It went on- Anti had zoned out after figuring out who the newcomers were and why they were here- he knew everyone else, after all, and he was so damn  _tired_... Dark had been right. He really had done a lot of things today- they'd gone to the park, they'd played with Chica, he'd run into Wilford and caused Dark's breakdown... then, he'd fixed Dark's breakdown, and... and then JJ happened. It seemed so long ago, but it had really only been a few hours... no  _wonder_ he was tired.

He wasn't aware he'd been dozing off again until Jameson shook him gently, his hand clasped around Anti's arm. Anti awoke with a start, his eyes snapping open to see that the rest of his brothers were staring at him. He felt his cheeks start to heat up as he yawned, stretching out on the lounge in an attempt to wake himself up. It didn't work.

"Sorry," Anti apologised through his yawn, feeling chills and prickling all over his skin. "I... I had a busy day. What were we saying?"

"Anti... if you are not feeling vell, you should have some rest," Schneep frowned, coming over to check his vitals. "Hmm... bist du experiencing headaches, und nausea?"

"A little," Anti admitted, "but they're not as bad as they could be. I'm fine, Schneep, I'm fine- I want to stay for the rest of the meeting,"

Schneep didn't look very happy with that statement, but damned if Anti was leaving early. Until now, he'd never even been invited to a family gathering- he didn't know how frequently they happened, but never in the past two years had he ever done anything with his brothers that was solely based on bringing them together.

He was staying here, awake or not.

"If you insist," Schneep sighed, reluctantly taking his seat again. "Drink some Wasser, mein Bruder- it vill help. You did not miss much- ve are going around und opening up about everything zat has happened since ve last convened. So far, only Jackieboy has spoken..."

Anti met the superhero's gaze, and Jackie shrugged. "I just said that I'm trying to be a better person, because of what we talked about the other night," he said, nodding to Anti with a small smile on his face.

Anti raised an eyebrow. "You seem... sober,"

"He started singing Cool Patrol during Clint's introduction," Marvin sighed, "so we dunked him in water,"

Jackie's cheeks turned red. "Yeah... I should work on understanding my tolerance, sorry guys..."

Anti snorted in response.

"Well, I was about to speak next anyway," Marvin sighed, getting to his feet. He cleared his throat. "So um... this might not be surprising for most of you, but Yan and I... we've been going through some rough patches recently. I mean- it's nothing too serious, we aren't hurting each other or anything, but..."

Anti had never seen them all so quiet- for being the loudest people in the Void, they sure knew how to keep it down when they needed to. No wonder he'd fallen asleep- he'd probably do it again now if he wasn't fighting to stay awake. He hadn't had this much silence since he moved in with Dark...

Marvin sighed. "Sometimes, the things he does just get on my nerves. And as much as he'll deny it, I know that there are things that I do that rub him the wrong way, too. Which is perfectly normal, I know that, but we... we've never really sat down and talked about it before,"

Marvin bit his lip as the rest of the egos remained silent- after all, Marvin usually tried to keep his relationship private, and him speaking out about anything was far out of the ordinary. Even Anti didn't know what to say, so he shut his mouth and let Jameson hold him as Marvin continued.

"I guess I've never really sat down with... with anyone, just to talk about my own feelings," Marvin sighed. "Until now. And because of that, I... I get really, really angry. Mostly at myself, but... I end up snapping so often when I'm out around you guys. I just feel really... tense, and irritable, and I didn't understand why until Schneep sat me down and made me fill out a mood disorder checklist the other day..."

He breathed out slowly. "I... I have depression. But I don't like  _saying_ it like that- I'm not sad, I'm really not. But I just feel... numb.  _Tired_. I wake up in the morning and I can't bring myself to get out of bed. I feel tense when I'm out of my room, but I feel trapped when I'm in there. And Yan's trying to help, I know he is, but... but this is my battle,"

Marvin offered his brothers a weak smile, apparently having noticed their upset expressions. "It may be my battle, but... but I don't want to hide it anymore. I don't want to walk around and pretend I'm happy when I'm not, but I don't want you to pity me- just... just maybe understand a little more. I'm not trying to push you all away, I love you guys- but most days, I... I can't even handle my own shit, let alone everyone else's,"

"But it's getting better," Marvin continued. "Now that I've actually... y'know, acknowledged that there's a reason, I'm trying to be more aware of how I act around the rest of you. You don't deserve my crap- and, and Yan and I are going to start couple's therapy soon, so we're hopefully going to move past our differences, and... I'm sorry, if it seemed like I was being a dick to any of you,"

Marvin's eyes swept the room, lingering on Anti for a few moments more, before looking down into his lap. Though they'd come to a truce when Marvin had returned, they hadn't really made peace between them and spoken about their differences before. Maybe tonight could change that.

Maybe, that was Schneep's plan...

"Danke, Marvin," Schneep spoke, looking proudly at the magician. Jackie clapped him on the back, and JJ sighed inaudibly against Anti's side. The glitch squeezed Jameson's hand reassuringly, as the doctor gestured in Robbie's direction.

The purple-haired ego looked nervous as he stood again, though this time Anti knew it was hardly because of Angus. He opened his mouth, eyes twitching a little as he forced his voice out as fast as it would come.

"I don't... like to... be treated... like a baby," Robbie sounded out, biting anxiously at his lip as he avoided everyone's eyes. "I'm... an adult... I can make... my own decisions,"

Jackie smiled apologetically in his direction, while Chase looked guilty as he stared at the ground. Everyone else just seemed curious to know where this was going- they hadn't overly babied him before, but they hadn't really treated him as the man he was, and it was growing ever clearer to them. Anti, who knew what had finally brought around this change in attitude, couldn't help but feel proud of Robbie for taking charge of his life like this.

After all, back when Anti had felt like Dark was babying him... well, it had sucked. Robbie had to deal with that treatment from pretty much everyone- no wonder he'd had enough.

"Me and... Host," Robbie uttered, shivering a little as if he were cold. "We are... in love... and we..."

He trailed off, huffing slightly as he looked pleadingly at Schneep.

"Es ist okay, Robbie- you do not have to say it," Schneep said, trying to be reassuring, but Robbie shook his head.

"Don't know... how to say... it," Robbie sighed in frustration. "Sounds... stupid,"

Schneep offered him a weary smile. "Ah... er, vhat Robbie is trying to tell you is zat he und ze Host are tired of zis constant monitoring zat some of you insist on doing. Ze truth is zat Robbie is his own person, und er alone can decide who he vants to be vith,"

Robbie smiled in return, taking his seat again. Well, Anti supposed that was probably all of the drama that Robbie was really a part of- he seemed like a fairly laid back guy, and Anti didn't know of any relationship drama he'd had with Host, so... maybe Robbie really had the least problematic life out of all of them.

Chase coughed as he got to his feet, Schneep having sent him a pointed look.

"I mean... at this point, you all already know about who I was when I was alive," Chase sighed, "what I did, and... and why I get these visions and memories... but at the time, I felt pretty alone when I was faced with it all. I... I felt like a burden on everyone's happy life,"

He looked up, smiling sadly at Schneep. "Sometimes, I even felt like I was the cause of all the problems and arguments you guys had, even when it made no sense... it just got to the point where I felt like I was a waste of space around here. All I did all day was sit around with Bing, play games and watch vines, and... it's not the best use of time, is it?"

"Well, considering that most of us don't really have jobs, I think it's valid," Marvin interceded with a soft smile. "I mean- I spend all of my time playing cards with Yan, or... y'know, doing other couple stuff, I don't really even spend my time with family. I'm amazed you all even know who I am,"

Chase snorted a little under his breath. "Yeah, I suppose that I was spending time with you guys... it's like what happened with you, Marv. I didn't understand why I felt so bad about... well, about doing  _nothing_ , until I realised that there was a part of me that was conditioned to go to work every morning, and pick up the kids, and... and that part of me still doesn't know that the kids aren't here anymore,"

Anti felt his heart sink a little as a tear slipped from Chase's eye, Jameson sighing sadly against his shoulder. Chase was still smiling, though- and Anti had the feeling that they were happy tears instead of sad. He grinned widely at the other egos.

"But I'm getting better now- sure, I slip up sometimes, and... and I haven't really grown as a person, but I'm in a serious relationship now, and my therapy's been working out... the docs have been doing a miracle for me. I'm sure that all of your struggles, they'll get better with time. Mine have..."

"Ja," Schneep agreed, sending Chase a proud smile. "Zat is very vise of you, Chase- problems are not solved overnight. Zhey require time and hard vork to overcome, und ich bin certain zat all of you are just as capable of healing as Chase is,"

"Thanks, Schneep," Chase grinned. "The kids... well, sometimes, Bing and I, we... we look up the family, see how they're doing. Emma's fourteen now, turning fifteen in March- and she's the captain of her football team. Trey turned ten last month, and he starred in a school play- seeing him standing there, and smiling, it... it didn't make me sad. It made me  _happy_. They... they're moving past what I did, and I'm so proud of them,"

Anti could see Tommy explaining Chase's backstory to the two newer egos, but judging by the neutral expressions on their faces, they didn't seem to care that Chase was an ex-murderer. Honestly, it wasn't a fact that really stood out when you met him- and it was easy to forget if you weren't consciously thinking about it. It didn't define him- not like Anti had allowed his instability to define him when he'd lashed out all those years ago.

Anti found that he was proud of Chase, too.

Chase sniffled happily, wiping his eyes of the tears that had started falling. "And Stacy... God, now that I remember, I... I miss her, so much. But I don't love her, not anymore- I really do love Bing, and... I know he doesn't really understand it, but it's true. I... I've seen her Facebook page, and... she's started dating this other guy. Tall, blonde, looks like a surfer... they look happy together."

"I'm moving on," Chase finalised, still smiling at the rest of his brothers. "This is my family now- Stacy and the kids, they... they're healing, just like I am. But it's better this way. I get to be here, with you guys, and they... they get to have a real father,"

It was Marvin who started clapping first- then Jackie, then Robbie- and soon, everyone had joined in. Congratulating Chase on his recovery, expressing their pride- and Chase was bawling now, but the grin never once left his features. He let Jackie lean over Marvin and tackle him in a hug, and Anti laughed as he watched his brothers all fight playfully over who got to show Chase the most affection. Even Jameson seemed to be smiling at the scene- though when Anti was jostled into the mute's side, he could tell that it had gotten out of hand.

Schneep, it seemed, shared his sentiments. He coughed loudly, snapping the others out of their antics as he stood and regarded them all with a weary stare.

"Settle, meine Geschwistern, settle... es ist my turn to speak. I have not come forward about mein own relationship vith Doc, though you all know of it already, und... vell, I vanted to clear something up,"

Anti was happy to see that Jameson had calmed enough to sit still, though their hands were still interlocked and their thighs were still pressed together- the proximity alone seemed to be doing him wonders. But he forced himself to look at the doctor instead of the dapper man beside him, watching as Schneep took off his glasses, wiping them with his coat.

"Mein lover und I, ve... ve have been struggling as of late," Schneep sighed. "Ever since ze manor first collapsed, und our fight... vell, I suppose zat none of you know vhat really happened zat night. Ve vere stressed, und tired, und ze news of Chase's past vas distressing me- I just couldn't see how... how you could be so...  _different_ , like zat,"

He put the glasses back on, but Anti knew they'd steam up again from crying if Schneep kept this up. There had been so many tears tonight, so many confessions, and yet... Anti had the feeling that the worst had yet to come. Nobody else had come close to expressing the shame that Anti and Jameson both felt regarding their affair- not to mention their own personal issues and mental health problems. Just how much did Schneep expect them to reveal?

Enough to soothe their minds, most probably, but... well, Anti still wasn't entirely comfortable sharing his past with his brothers. Despite the turnaround they'd all seemed to make in their attitude towards him, they were still the people that had disregarded his pain and suffering, making him out to be a force worse than evil when he'd cried out for help...

He shook himself out of his thoughts, looking up at Schneep again. He shouldn't be so self absorbed- there would be a time soon enough to worry about his own issues. The least he could do was hear Schneep out, after all he'd done for Anti...

"Ve did not fight because of our own animosity, nein... ve vere simply disagreeing over ze ethics of our practices... I did not vant to tell Chase of his history, but Doc vas adamant zat er had a right to know. Of course, of course you did, mein Bruder... but I did not vant you to follow ze same path zat Anti found himself on after er fell victim to his depressive thoughts..."

Anti tried to ignore how the others' eyes shifted to him, but he found his cheeks reddening anyway at the attention. He let Jameson's slow breathing calm him down, closing his eyes and listening to the doctor's voice. He was so tired, so  _weary_...

"Ve agreed to spend some time apart, to relax, but- vell, I soon found myself dead. I must admit, it vasn't part of my plan, but... but something inside ihn seemed to change vhen I came back. It vas like a light had come on in his mind, und zhen he asked me to marry him, und... vell, ze rest is history."

Closing his eyes for a little while couldn't hurt, right? He could still hear them, he was still listening, he just couldn't see... couldn't react...

"I had thought zat it vould be fine after zat- of course, ve have not had any further arguments, but... but vonce again, ze responsibility of caring for all of you has fallen onto us. It has been driving me mad vith vorry, you must realise- I do not vant to leave you alone, I do not vant any of you to be hurt- but I do not vant to throw away my time spent vith mein Liebe, Brüder..."

_Anti..._

_Anti..._

_Anti!_

He blinked harshly, the light making him dizzy as he became aware that he was no longer sitting upright. Instead, he was slightly slumped, leaning into Jameson's side with smooth fingers wrapped around his arm, shaking him again. Oh  _fuck_... he hadn't meant to fall asleep again, he really hadn't- what else had he missed?

"Shit," Anti muttered, peeling himself away from the other warm body he'd been resting on. The damp, blotchy patches of skin along his arm and cheek told him he'd been there a while, at least. "Sorry..."

"Es ist fine, Anti," Schneep assured him, standing over them, pressing a glass of water into his hands. "Ve vere going to let you sleep, but... vell, Jameson didn't feel comfortable speaking about vhat happened vithout you hier,"

Anti rubbed at his sore and swollen eyes, taking a sip of the water and recoiling at the bad taste in his mouth.  _Yuck_. Was this because of the fast food he'd eaten with Dark, earlier? He didn't usually eat, so he never really had to deal with the consequences, but now...

"Okay," Anti sighed simply, wrapping an arm around Jameson's middle and giving him a hug. "I'm here, I'm here... you can do this, James,"

Anti felt terrible for missing the rest of his brothers' confessions, but... well, there wasn't much he could do about it now. He was sure that if they deemed their information desperate for him to know, they'd come and tell him when he was more conscious and aware. But Jameson was here, and he needed Anti's support through this, and... and Anti could understand that. Sitting in front of your family and admitting to every little wrong you've committed, explaining how it makes you feel, that... that isn't easy to accomplish alone.

Jameson took a deep breath, removing his hand from Anti's arm and standing shakily. He looked out at the rest of his brothers, who all looked quite alarmed to see him so distraught- but he couldn't help but feel as though they'd abandon him as soon as his hands betrayed his thoughts.

 _'I have been having some personal problems'_  he signed, still not quite able to meet his brothers' eyes.  _'W-I-L-F-O-R-D and I are no longer together. I had thought that I could change him, but I was wrong. He will not change for me alone. I have not yet forgiven him for breaking my heart.'_

JJ took a shuddering breath, and Anti reached out to touch his shoulder, letting him know that the glitch was still there. Anti hadn't abandoned him, and... and that made Jameson feel a little safer. He took another breath.

_'I have been hurting myself for the past three days,'_

"What?!" Jackie exclaimed, his features paling as he looked around at the gobsmacked expressions of the rest of his brothers. Even Angus and Bing, who didn't even know the man- they wore sorrowful expressions on their faces. Marvin had tears shining in his eyes, and Chase was biting into his fist- and Robbie looked close to running over and hugging Jameson himself.

Anti looked down, squeezing a little more firmly at JJ's shoulder, feeling the dapper man stiffen under his touch.

Jameson flinched at the sound, feeling tears running down his own cheeks as he sobbed silently, still ashamed and anguished by what he'd been driven to do. How had Anti lived with this for all those years? Would Anti be able to stand up and speak out about the voices, and the hate, and everything they'd made him feel?

_'I had made one poor decision after the last, and I was not coping. In an act of vengeance, I let myself lie with another- I did not even contemplate the effect it would have on his life. I felt... terrible. I wanted to die.'_

"No, JJ..." Chase uttered, running a hand through his hair. "No, d-don't..."

"Ze situation has been handled, Chase, do not vorry," Schneep interceded, though even he was crying again. "Zis confession, it... es ist only to help Jameson realise zat er ist loved und vanted, despite vhat he has been led to believe,"

"Who told you that nobody cared?" Jackie demanded, having pulled off his mask at the first sign of tears. "We all care- JJ, we love you, we  _all_ do..."

 _'I heard voices in my head. Taunting me and telling me that nobody loved me. I believed them. I tried to kill myself earlier today, but S-C-H-N-E-E-P found me and saved me'_  
  
Jameson bit his lip as he braced himself for the cries of outrage that would surely follow, but... but the room was silent save for a few sharp breaths. He opened his eyes, looking out for the first time at his family- his  _family_. They were all crying, all of them- even Anti, who was rubbing his back softly and looking up at him proudly, even the newcomers- and even Tommy and Clint looked like they were trying to hide their tears.

"I... I don't know what to say," Marvin gulped, his throat tight as he choked on his tears, wiping his eyes as he let his mask fall to the ground. He walked over and threw his arms around Jameson, hugging him so tightly that the mute was afraid he'd snap, but Marvin wasn't alone. Chase followed, and Jackie, and Anti found himself pressed into the couch as every Septiceye in the room came over to show Jameson just how much they'd miss him if he was gone.

Septiplier walked over, all four of his eyes glassed over and weeping, scooping the others into a huge group hug. Anti smiled, still patting Jameson's back softly, too tired to even think about standing. Halter sent him a sympathetic look.

"Ve all love you, Jameson," Schneep sniffed, smiling through his tears. "Und vords cannot describe how much ve care for you... I know zat zese thoughts did not belong to you, I know zat deep down, you know it too... und none of us are judging you,"

Jameson smiled for the first time in hours, nudging his brothers aside as he turned to face Anti. He leaned down, wrapping his arms around the glitch and lifting him up, hugging him tightly with no reprieve. Anti feebly returned the gesture, perhaps a little delayed- but then he found himself sobbing softly into Jameson's shoulder, part of him wishing that when he'd been driven to suicide, the others had cared just a little more...

But that was selfish, he knew. This was Jameson's moment- but it seemed that Jameson wanted him to speak now. He smiled wryly at Anti, patting his back softly like the glitch had done to him only minutes before- and Anti wiped his tired eyes with a sniff.

It was now or never.

"So..." Anti sighed. "Where do I begin? I... I guess I never really told any of you about why I... I killed you all that once,"

Though they'd all pretended to have moved past it, Anti could see that his actions from all those years ago were still affecting them- how could they not? Anti knew that their words, their taunts, their lack of sympathy... they still haunted him to this day as well. Really, he felt he couldn't blame them for flinching. He deserved to make them feel wary...

"Well, I had... a similar experience to JJ," Anti breathed, feeling his chest tighten as the words threatened to bottle themselves up and remain secret forever. Jameson was still there, still holding him close, signing something Anti was sure was meant to be reassuring into the curve of his spine, but... but this was different. They'd loved Jameson before he turned, and Anti... well, Anti had turned long before he even met his brothers, if he was honest...

"I heard voices too- but mine had always been there. I just thought they were... I don't know, something everyone had. Dark had voices too, and so did Wilford, so I... I ignored them. They didn't really even bother me until Author... showed up. I got jealous, and... and they started to tell me that I didn't matter. That Dark would grow bored of me and leave me, and I just... I hated to hear things like that."

Anti took a shuddering breath, feeling Jameson wiping some of his tears away with his handkerchief. "Dark was my friend- the closest friend I had, and every time there was a new ego, it... it all got worse... I felt like I wasn't good enough for his attention. And after a while, when he started getting busier with the other Ipliers, I..."

Anti swallowed, the silence starting to ring in his ears- didn't they have anything to say? They always seemed to have something to say- whether it was disregarding his feelings, or telling him not to worry so much... "I started cutting... but it wasn't a punishment thing, not at first. It was how I coped- it made the voices go away, and it felt nice, and I got a kick out of it... I never told Dark about it. I felt too... ashamed. And freakish..."

Schneep was nodding along sadly, but everyone else- even Jameson, seemed a little shocked. Anti guessed they'd never heard of knife play before, never heard of masochism... or, perhaps they'd never thought that Anti's obsession with knives ran a little deeper than it seemed to.

"But then Jackie arrived, and... fuck, man, you were everything I wished I could be. I wanted to love myself, and I wanted to be confident, but... but I couldn't compare to someone like you. I had this weird, irrational fear that you'd take Dark away from me, and I... I ran away. I was itching for the feeling of the knife, and that's when I realised that it was an unhealthy habit but it was too damn late to break it now. Then the rest of you came along- Marv, and Schneep, and I... I felt threatened. I felt like there was no point in living anymore. I... I tried to kill myself, but I only ended up possessing Jack,"

Anti forced himself to take shallow breaths, knowing that he was speaking too fast- but they were hanging on every word. There was another hand on his shoulder now- one that Anti recognised as Chase's, and Jameson was still there, rubbing circles into Anti's side. This wasn't going as terribly as he'd thought, but... but he hadn't even gotten around to the recent drama just yet.

"You weren't trying to kill Jack?" Jackie uttered, sounding just a little ashamed. "It was... it was you trying to... hurt yourself?"

Anti nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Jackie remained wordless, seeming to mull it over, while Marvin reached out to touch Anti's unoccupied shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Anti, I... I didn't even think that you were suffering," Marvin sniffed, wiping away the tears from his already red face. "I just thought... that you'd decided to kill him, just to make a name for yourself, and..."

"It's... it's okay, Marv," Anti sighed, smiling as reassuringly as he could manage. "I... I was young, and dumb... I didn't try to get to know any of you because of my own insecurities, so... so I understand why you thought I was a nutcase..."

Marvin laughed a little between his tears, giving Anti a quick hug. Anti wasted no time in hugging him back.

"All I could do was cry..." Anti sniffed into Marvin's shoulder, breathing in the new scent of the magician's cologne that he'd never really been close enough to appreciate before. "And the voices... they took over. Said some shit about how his body was weak, but I couldn't help but feel like they were talking about  _me_... When I came back, I was angry. At myself, mostly, but then... the voices started pinning the blame on you guys. Saying you should have been there, saying that Dark should have come to save my pathetic ass, and... and when Dark finally did come around, I snapped,"

The other egos were silent.

"I cut him out of my life, and then the rest is history," Anti sighed. "I ended up in fights, with Dark and with you guys, and it was exhausting... I never  _wanted_ to fight. But I felt like I had no other choice at the time... even when Dark let me live here again, they were still in my head- still telling me I was useless, that I couldn't compare to any of you, and... and Dark just seemed to brush me off. Like he knew what was best for me, but... but I felt miserable,"

Anti shuddered, letting Marvin pull away from him as he looked around again at the faces of his family. They looked... well, they mainly looked sorry, but Anti could see regret in the eyes of his eldest siblings. He sniffed, wiping his face and taking another sip of water, licking his dry lips. 

"I didn't know what I was doing, and... and I felt like you guys were all talking about me behind my back, and it was nothing like I'd hoped it would be. I still loved him, but... but I loved the part of him that he was hiding away. I snapped again. I... I cut again..."

Jameson laced their fingers together, pressing himself firmly into Anti's side as if trying to say that nobody could separate them now. Anti appreciated the gesture, but... with what was coming up, perhaps it wasn't really appropriate for them to be standing so close.

"When I finally came back after our fight, I..." Anti shivered, still unsure of how they'd take it when he finally told them he was the one who slept with Jameson, the one who had caused their brother so much grief... "I found out that he was having a baby in the Groundlands, and... and when I possessed Jack to see him I heard that the baby wasn't even mine..."

Gasps sounded around the room, and Anti quickly shook his head. This didn't need to be misconstrued any further than what it was going to be in a few moments regardless.

"No, no- I've figured out that it's mine now," Anti corrected quickly, watching as everyone let out a breath of relief. "But at the time... well, I'd just heard from Wilford that he and Dark used to fuck around, and I was already upset. Schneep came in and tried to help me calm down, and I..."

Jameson squeezed his hand firmly. This was it. This was  _it_... how would they react to the news? Anti almost didn't want to tell them, didn't want to let his flaws be known, but... but what example would that set for Jameson? He'd been so brave earlier, facing his fears and speaking his mind, and... and Anti could do it too. He  _had_  to.

"I... I tried to go for a walk," Anti swallowed, speaking after a long pause. "But I was out of my mind with my own self pity... I... I cheated on him, with someone I really shouldn't have, and... and we've only just sorted things out between us."

The words didn't need to be said, it seemed. Already, eyes were flickering between he and Jameson, catching on to what had really been happening these past few days. But they didn't judge. They looked... well, they looked disappointed, but mostly pitiful, perhaps even... understanding? Maybe that was too much to hope for. Robbie had already known- but he stood and wrapped his arms around Anti anyway, smiling when the glitch hugged him back, and... and Anti realised that it was okay. It was going to be okay...

"I spoke to Dark about it, and we've agreed to leave it in the past," Anti breathed, his exhilaration at his acceptance making his already tired brain feel light. "We're happier than ever now, and... and all it took was a little honesty. Neither of us were perfect- we've both done shitty things, but... but because we looked back and faced them, and we're truly sorry, we're both... we're both working through it just fine. I love him, and I've finally realised and accepted that... that he loves me just as much,"

Anti smiled at the rest of them, and watching their faces morph into reassuring smiles in return brought a surge of warmth to his heart.

"When's the baby due?" Marvin asked kindly, more kindly than ever- and Anti turned to give him a happy chuckle.

"We don't know, but... but Dark's pretty huge. It's only a matter of time,"

"What's her name?" Jackie asked, speaking for the first time in several minutes.

Anti smiled as he remembered the memory Dark had showed him- having seen Dark's mother for the first time. It was... an odd thought, but it filled Anti with happiness. Despite how dismissive she'd been of Celine's abilities, despite how strict she'd seemed- Dark had loved her. And Anti was certain he'd have loved her too.

"Desiree," Anti decided, "Desiree Celine... after her mum and her grandma..."

Nobody questioned Anti's choice of phrasing- perhaps, they'd all cottoned on to who Wilford was really talking about when he spoke of Damien and Celine. Maybe, the doctors had pieced it together when Dark had fallen pregnant- maybe, they simply thought he'd lost it.

Anti didn't care. He liked the name Desiree Celine, liked the way it sounded in his head, wanted to call it out and wait for a precious baby girl to come running up to him so he could spin her around in his arms. She... she was his everything. His family, as strange and expansive as it was-  _they_ were his everything.

He burst into tears again, but they weren't tears of sadness. Chase was holding his shoulder, Jameson was touching his waist, and the rest of his brothers were all standing here, finally understanding him in a way he'd never thought he'd understand himself.

It was all looking up, for  _everyone_ this time...


	29. Chapter 28

**~Groundlands~**

Dr. Iplier sighed as he adjusted his coat, watching Robbie as he led Anti away from the house. Now that the glitch was back, he'd finally been able to let go of his hold on the place- he'd never understood how Anti and Dark could do it so easily. His back was aching, his head pounding, every muscle in his body urging him to lie down and let death embrace him- but he was stronger than that. He wasn't going to let exhaustion get the better of him  _now_.

Now that Anti was back again, he could leave and figure out what exactly had happened to Dark- he'd been worried for several reasons when Amy had told him that Dark had an accident- what kind of accident? Was the baby okay? As Dark's doctor, he had a right to be concerned. And with Dark's history, he felt that everyone should be treading a lot more carefully around the entire matter of the baby... it seemed that they'd forgotten that Dark had cancer. That his body was over a century old, that he'd been dead on his feet only a matter of days ago- strange things were happening, and Doc didn't think anyone but himself truly saw that the danger was still present. Even Henrik seemed to be ignoring the reality of Dark's condition, focusing instead on bringing Dark and Anti closer together in case something terrible happened and they ran out of time.

And if Dark had had a turn today- small or large, Doc needed to know about it.

"Host!" Doc called, brushing his hair aside and out of his face as he paced around Anti's living room. "Are you sure you'll be able to keep Blank in check while I'm gone?"

"The Host assures the doctor that he is perfectly capable of handling a rogue ego," Host muttered, looking rather alone and miserable on that sofa. Doc hadn't seen him out and about without Robbie in months, and it was rather... disconcerting. Even in the few weeks before they ended their romantic endeavors, Doc could see that Host was growing anxious- and it hadn't really seemed to stop until he'd met and befriended that little zombie last August.

Now, the expression on his face was all too telling that Host was sinking back into it. His anxiety, his worrisome thoughts, his incoherent muttering... he always did have a separation issue. Doc had thought it had gone away, but in reality... well, he supposed that Robbie was Host's beacon of calmness. It just so happened that Robbie and Host spent so much time together that it seemed he'd really gotten better.

Perhaps some time apart would do those two some good...

"Alright," Doc agreed, looking over at his ex-boyfriend worriedly. "I'll be going now... don't worry yourself, Host, he'll be back soon,"

Host flushed a little beneath his bandages, folding his arms in embarrassment. "The Host doesn't know what the doctor is talking about,"

"There's no shame in wanting to be close to someone you love," Doc reminded, tapping Host's shoulder reassuringly. "You forget that I used to be that someone, and I know it better than anyone that you had a habit of being... well, clingy. Not in a bad way, don't misunderstand me- but it's obvious when you miss him. You don't look like you're entirely... there."

Host sighed in distress. "The Host did not come here to be psychoanalysed, and he urges the doctor to finish his business before he faints and fades,"

"Mhm," Doc hummed in agreement, standing and stretching once more. "That would be a good idea, wouldn't it... just don't beat yourself up about your feelings, Host- it's counterproductive,"

Doc couldn't see them, but he was fairly confident that Host had just rolled his eyes. He decided to leave before the conversation could progress any further, knowing that his time would be running out. He wasn't even sure if Mark was still awake- it was around eleven PM in Los Angeles right now, but one could never be too sure with him.

He let himself dissolve away from the Void, finding himself sitting instead in what appeared to be a living room, different to the one he'd stumbled around in earlier. He was clutching his head, and the rest of the room's occupants were looking at him worriedly. Amy was there, along with another woman that Doc didn't know- and beside them seemed to be the originals of Xyler and Blank. Tyler and Ethan, if his memory was correct.

He coughed to clear his throat, ignoring Mark's confused thoughts as best he could as they beat at the inside of his mind. "I apologise for intruding like this, but... I had to know about what happened to Dark,"

"What the hell, Mark?" Tyler, spoke, folding his arms. "What are you even-?"

"It's not Mark," Amy interceded, giving Tyler a pointed look. "Doc? That you?"

Doc smiled in relief. "Yes- hello again, Amy. I'm sorry we didn't get the chance to speak earlier- as you understand, we... had a bit of an emergency,"

"I'm just glad that everyone's okay," Amy breathed in relief, probably thankful that it was at least an ego she  _knew_ that had invaded the body of her boyfriend. "Oh- sorry guys, this is Dr. Iplier."

"Oh," Blank's original uttered. "Uh... hi?"

"I don't believe we've been acquainted," Doc said, leaning over to shake his hand. "I'm Dr. Iplier- and you must be Ethan. Curious... Blank still has blue hair, but you must have changed it since his creation,"

Ethan's eyes widened and his body seemed to tense. "Shit- Blank?! He  _is_  real?!"

"Of course," Doc nodded, a little confused. "All of your characters are alive in the Void- just today, in fact, we ran into some issues with his nut allergy... but that is unimportant, he is fine now. You must be Tyler,"

Tyler shook Doc's hand warily, giving him a strange look, still probably concerned that Mark had been taken over by somebody else. "Don't tell me my ego is real too,"

Doc smiled softly, remembering the man that had left them to continue his search for Dark. If Doc had any way of knowing he'd be leaving so soon, he might have been able to help- but Xyler had left them without warning, much like Blank had left, in fact... 

"Xyler is... a strange case, I grant you. He is technically his own being, but yes, he is real. But neither of you have to worry- they are not malicious egos. They are simply... confused."

He turned to the unknown woman, who smiled at him as she shook his hand- she seemed rather pleasant, and not in the least worried about Doc's presence. "I'm Katheryn- you're the one who's getting married, right?"

Doc couldn't help the grin that was spreading across his cheeks as he thought about his lover, reminded again that they were going to be married soon.  _Married_. "One and the same," he affirmed with a wide smile. "But that's a less important matter- Amy, what exactly happened to Dark earlier?"

"Well... it's a long story," Amy sighed, giving the rest of her friends an apologetic look. "I took them out to the park for a date, and Dark changed form to appear female so that she wouldn't look out of place, being pregnant and all. It was going well, but then... Anti found Wilford and brought him over, and Dark panicked."

"You found Wilford?" Doc asked aloud, smacking himself in the head. "He was here, in Los Angeles? Oh, that son of a bitch..."

He still had a bone to pick with that cotton-candy coloured cuck- leaving them alone in that Void, messing around to the point of breaking Jameson's heart... if Doc was to see him, he'd likely throw a few punches out of pure contempt. Wilford would stand there and take it, though- he was rather capable of feeling guilty when he knew he was in the wrong, after all. He might even insist upon the pain- Doc loathed to think of it.

"I don't know why Dark was so afraid of seeing him," Amy muttered. "But it messed her up- she tried to turn back into a guy and ended up ripping her dress, and I don't know the full extent of what happened but I found her crying with Anti in the bathroom,"

"I wasn't even aware that Dark could change his entire form like that," Doc sighed, shaking himself out of his thoughts of Wilford. "Well... I suppose that given his female reproductive system is functional, nothing would stop him, but Dark as a woman... it's strange to think about. Does he identify as genderqueer?"

"He's told me he'd call it genderfluid," Amy explained, "but I don't think he'd really care if he was misgendered. I feel as though it was more of a... a way of remaining inconspicuous. But he did seem worried about changing in front of Anti- I guess they hadn't really... experienced Dark's female form together before,"

"I'd say Anti was experiencing part of it just fine a number of weeks ago," Doc sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "But that aside- what could have made Dark panic like this? Surely it wouldn't only be Wilford, especially if he was wary about changing in front of Anti..."

Amy shrugged. "All I know is that they went up to have a shower together and came back happy- then, you arrived with the news and... hey, how did that all turn out?"

"I was downstairs tending to Blank's anaphylaxis for the most part," Doc muttered, "so I don't really know- but Henrik told me that Jameson was exhibiting strange symptoms. His eyes were apparently bright green, and he was hearing voices- and both of those traits seemingly only belonged to Anti beforehand. I believe he is recovering though- it certainly seemed like what he was doing was out of his own control..."

"Anti mentioned that Jameson was acting like him," Amy agreed, "but... it's a strange coincidence, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily," Doc interceded, "they share the same original- this stress response could exist for all of the Septiceyes, for all we know about it currently. Jameson has been having some... difficult times, recently. Coming to terms with the fact that Wilford can't love him how he needs, dealing with the consequences of sleeping with a taken man... I can't say I condone his actions, but I do sympathise with him. If the glitch is caused by stress alone, I can say he definitely qualifies,"

Amy frowned. "Wilford... was with Jameson? I'd thought... well, we put a reference to him in the script today, but that was Anti's idea. I didn't think they were actually involved,"

Doc frowned a little. "Yes, they were... just how much do you know about us and our relationships?"

"Well, we only knew that you and the other doctor were engaged, and that Dark and Anti were together," Tyler spoke up.

"And that most of the Septiceyes were dating the Ipliers," Ethan finished. "But we never got told who, exactly,"

Doc sighed lowly as he ran a finger through his hair. "Well... yes, Wilford and Jameson have been romantically involved since last November, but Wilford hasn't been shy about his other affairs in the meantime. I suppose he's not used to being tied down quite yet, though it's no excuse- and I've already dealt with enough drama revolving around him, honestly... what with Bim being a mopey mess- not to mention the fact that with Wilford and Anti absent from the Void, none of us are strong enough to keep the house up and running,"

"Bim's also involved with Wilford?" Tyler asked incredulously. "Jesus, this man..."

"It'd be easier to list the people who  _aren't_ involved with Wilford," Doc muttered darkly. "I haven't looked entirely into it, but I'm sure that he alone connects all of us- well, perhaps except for the newest couples. Truly, I believe we've all had shots with Wilford at some point or another,"

"Even you?" Amy piped up, noting the inclusive 'we' and seemingly putting it all together. She seemed rather smart- smarter than Peevils was, anyway. Doc had loathed it when that bitch had tried so insistently to insert herself into Dark's life- it made for a lot of shouting and arguments in the manor. It had disturbed poor Host, and they'd had to stay up late together- reading and commenting on old medical journals before either of them could get to sleep.

Doc sighed-  _Host_... with all the tension in the house recently, he couldn't be faring well. He wouldn't be surprised if he came back to see the man staring blankly at the wall again, just waiting for Robbie to come back so he could take his mind away from the troubles of his brethren once more. He really needed some other hobbies, Doc decided. But he brought his mind back to the conversation at hand, nodding affirmatively.

"Even me, yes." Doc agreed. "Though I wasn't fool enough to fall for the idiot in doing so. Some of his little games are more obvious than others- and Bim has irrational feelings of attachment to him that I doubt Wilford is even aware of. But that matter aside... I know that Wilford and Dark had something going on as well. Though the last I heard of it was when Septiplier mentioned their affair to me early in 2015, so the information may be quite dated..."

Ethan let out a humourless chuckle. "Only Mark would be narcissistic enough to fuck himself,"

"You think that has something to do with why he freaked?" Amy asked worriedly, though she smiled at Ethan's attempt to lighten the mood. "Did... did Wilford know that Dark and Anti were together?"

"Oh, yes- he's been rather supportive of their relationship, in fact," Doc explained. "I doubt that Dark would sleep with him while he was committed to Anti- and he takes his health rather seriously when Henrik and I ask him questions. He mentioned that he hadn't been sexually active in a long while before Anti returned, the day we discovered his pregnancy- and he wouldn't lie about something like that."

"What if they got together in a non-sexual way?" Ethan suggested.

Doc sent him a small smile. "I appreciate your effort- but truly, Wilford doesn't really  _do_  non-sexual. The closest he's really gotten to someone in a romantic way is to Jameson- though he did used to taunt and tease Dark relentlessly in a way that could hardly be called platonic... but their relationship- my understanding of it, anyway- is quite passive-aggressive. If what Septiplier told me is true, that is..."

"So it's not because Dark was cheating," Tyler concluded. "But then why...?"

Amy let out a startled noise of realisation. "Wilford... he used to be the Colonel. He knew Celine- and Dark looked like Celine when he changed into a woman. That must have been it- Dark was scared that Wilford would try to take her back..."

Doc blinked, confused. "Celine?"

"Oh, crap... he didn't tell you, did he?" Amy fretted. "Celine is part of Dark- she... well, I don't know much about her aside from that she was married to Markiplier and left him for Will, but she and Damien are the two people that make up Dark's personality,"

Well, he hadn't expected...  _this_. Dark was... a fusion, of sorts? He'd have to ask the demon about it later- but perhaps this news shed light on a number of other, unrelated things. The curious relationship Dark had with Wilford, for one- at times they bantered like old friends, and at others they acted as though they'd been together for a long time, like a married couple that couldn't stop bickering if they tried. And his mood swings, his split personality-  _of course_  being a fusion would cause those things.

Doc knew for a fact that his time spent as The Psychiatrist with Daniel had been difficult- holding himself back from a murderous rage, trying with all his might to guide their fusion to accomplish his own goal... Daniel had been stronger than he was, but The Psychiatrist was fueled by his emotions. And if Dark felt anything like that, like the constant battle for control... no wonder he acted the way he did.

"Oh..." Doc said simply, shaking his head. "Ah... I see. That explains... a lot, frankly. So Wilford... he talks about Celine a lot, I know- I'd just assumed she was long dead, not that she was... well, sitting there and listening to his rambling,"

"It's complicated," Amy sighed sympathetically. "But that must be the reason Dark panicked at the park- nothing else makes sense,"

Doc wanted to believe that there couldn't be another reason- but still, something seemed... off. Just a little spook like this couldn't really be classed as an 'accident'- but Amy had seemed rather worried about Dark earlier. Surely, there must be more to it than shock caused by Wilford's appearance...

"What exactly did you mean by 'accident' when you told me about Dark?" Doc probed, and Amy cocked her head to the side.

"Well, he... he tried to change back to his male form completely, but it was... well, it failed. Parts of him changed while the others stayed the same. He was... a little lopsided, and he looked uncomfortable, and he was crying the whole way home. I was afraid he was going to pass out from dehydration by the time we got back,"

Doc frowned once more. "That... doesn't normally happen. I haven't seen Dark show more emotion than mild anger since... well, since Valentine's Day passed this year. It was storming for days, and the manor was falling apart- and he hadn't left his room in weeks. Something happened on the day that knocked him back into his emotionless husk of a life state, and even when Anti came back he didn't really... express his feelings in front of us. It was one of the reasons Anti felt like Dark didn't care about him, Henrik told me..."

"He was pretty emotional the day he spent with Amy and I," Katheryn spoke up. "When we were talking about the baby, and the wedding, and everything going on back at your place... but we just thought it was the pregnancy,"

 _The pregnancy_... if only Doc could have known the real conception date, he might have been able to piece together a pattern. Heck, if Dark had even left his room a few times more during the past two months, it might have been easy. But until today, Doc hadn't known about Dark's mood swings at all. He'd chalked it up to Anti's abrupt departure that Dark was feeling so glum and tired, and it had been a little over a week since Dark had left the Void. He hadn't really spent enough time with him at all to make a theory about his emotional balance.

"When we first checked him with an ultrasound, we pieced together that the fetus was around twenty-six weeks old," Doc muttered aloud, trying to piece together a timeline in his mind. "Which would put the date of conception around the end of January- but at that point, Dark wasn't even letting Wilford in to talk to him. Dark confirmed it, and he said that he'd only been active for eight weeks- a little over nine now, which would put the earliest possible date of conception at around... the middle of May, give or take a few days,"

Amy and Tyler exchanged a quick glance. "That's... that's around the time he was staying with Seán," Amy stated.

"Did they... sleep together, Amy?" Doc asked, silently hoping that it wasn't the case, for Anti's sake. He felt his face fall when Amy nodded.

"Yeah- I don't know all the details, but Seán called and told us he woke up naked next to Dark in his female form, but Dark didn't wake up for days on end after it. Then, when he did, they talked and... and whatever he said made Seán forgive him. You don't think...?"

"It's entirely possible that Anti isn't the father at all," Doc muttered grimly. "The child is obviously not a conventional human- but that could be due to Dark's irregularities, and not the biological father's, which we had been led to believe."

"But when it's dark enough, his stomach glows green like Anti does," Tyler pointed out. "That's how we knew it was his child,"

Doc felt his heart sink even further. "That... that thought isn't as comforting as you might think. Remember, Jameson also caught the glitch for an amount of time- and he is no blood relation to Anti. The only things that link them are their original, and the fact that they'd become sexually intimate recently- but neither of those trains of thinking result in promising news. If the green glow is telling of a sexually transmitted infection or alteration, Dark and his child could be in grave danger. It seems... to affect mental health and inhibit certain capabilities- has anything come up with Dark where he seems... unnaturally depressed and actively avoidant?"

"When we took him to the hospital, they found cutting scars," Amy shivered. "We didn't ask him about them, so we don't know when he... did it, but since his stroke and... and before Anti came back, he was pretty down about his life,"

Doc cursed under his breath. "Damn it, everything is just so coincidental... there is, of course, the chance that the child does belong to Anti. I don't mean to prove different, but it's important to sift through all possible outcomes... if the baby is Seán's, it could still be affected by the same energy that corrupted Jameson- and I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone, let alone an infant..."

He sighed deeply. "Does Anti know that Dark and Seán-"

"Yes," Tyler interceded. "He does."

"Well, that's one thing I can stop worrying about..." Doc muttered. "But still, this is rather... troubling. I want to piece this together before someone else gets driven to suicide, but... I'd need to run some tests. If the problem lies with Anti's ejaculate, if that is what causes the transmission of this glitch... I'd have to ask Jameson about what exactly they got up to that night. I'd need samples, and... God, that conversation won't go well..."

Amy reached out to place a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it softly. "You know, Doc... you and Mark do the same thing when you're stressed. You should let it go, at least for tonight- Dark and Anti are fine at Mark's place, and you don't need to worry about whatever this glitch is until tomorrow, at least. They're happy together- heck, I'd say that having Anti around is helping him more than any medicine has in the past week,"

Doc bit his lip. He had been under a lot of stress recently, it was true- he was spending less and less time with the man he loved, sleeping for briefer hours, worrying about everyone else's love lives instead of caring for his own... it wasn't wise to do this, but...

"Perhaps you're right," Doc sighed, running his hand through his hair. "God knows I need the rest... Hen and I have been dead on our feet just keeping the house together while everyone's gone, and it'd be nice to relax for a night... but that's hardly a realistic thought. Even if I push my worry about this glitch aside, there's still the matter of Blank's return to sort out. And I've no doubt that Hen will want to talk to me about how his family gathering worked out, and I still have to organise Marvin and Yan's therapy, and-"

" _Yeesh_ ," Tyler interrupted. "You really  _are_ just like Mark... you have really impossible standards for yourself right now, and it's probably driving you and everyone around you insane,"

"It's true," Katheryn voiced. "You need to take some time off, Doc- if you're anything like he is, you'll be unhappy as long as you're pushing yourself, because nothing will turn out the way you want it when you're stressed. It's not a good headspace- and I refused to work with Mark whenever he slipped into it. Don't let it ruin your friendships like it ruined his,"

Doc sighed deeply, knowing that they were right. He was aware of his own flaws- his need to help people, the nagging sensation in his chest that told him he wasn't doing enough, even when he was being pushed to his limits. Henrik had told him again and again that he needed to relax- that the constant stress of being the only Iplier with a shred of common sense was getting to him.

Heck, the whole reason they'd split in May had been due to how stressed and overworked they'd managed to get. And now, history was repeating itself- Doc didn't want to fall into the same routine again.

He sniffed, not even having realised he was crying until the water ran down his cheek.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "you're right... I really do need to relax sometimes. But every time I close my eyes, something else goes wrong- someone dies, or someone gets pregnant, or someone needs therapy... it's exhausting, but I'd rather have that exhaustion than deal with heartache,"

"Why do you have to have either?" Amy asked. "You're sensible, Doc- and Mark might make some dumb choices, but he's not unintelligent. Surely his egos can handle themselves alone for a while,"

"You'd be surprised at just how simple their minds can be at times," Doc muttered under his breath. "I appreciate your concern, but... they're seemingly incapable of managing themselves. Even Dark has no clue of how dangerous being here really is for him, but... but I suppose that all of us tend to stick in situations we really shouldn't, don't we?"

Amy was about to speak when her phone buzzed, and Doc could see her eyes light up as she checked what appeared to be an email. The conversation was forgotten.

"Perfect timing- it's Phil," Amy grinned, showing Katheryn her phone. "He's confirmed he can make it for the wedding- Dan too,"

"Great," Katheryn smiled, taking out her own phone and typing something out. Doc didn't really know what the two were talking about, let alone why Ethan and Tyler were suddenly smiling at him.

"Is there something I'm missing here?" Doc queried, cocking his head to one side as his eyebrows furrowed.

Amy smirked. "Well, Dark told us that you and Schneep wanted to get married, but there's nobody in the Void that can do it officially- and we figured that since Dark is out of commission right now, we'd uh... organise one for you,"

Doc blinked, trying to come to terms with the words he was hearing. Surely, he was mistaken... they hardly knew him. They wouldn't arrange a wedding ceremony for people they hadn't even met- especially not when the whole Septiplier thing was still impacting both Mark and Seán's reputations, would they?

"You don't mean...?"

"9th of August at 11PM," Katheryn confirmed, putting her phone down. "That's when Sam can get there, anyway- of course, you could have the reception sooner, but don't Dan and Phil finish up around 10?"

"Yeah, they said they'll try to make it on time, but traffic might be an issue," Amy stated. "Plus, they have to be back on the road again by 3AM if they want to make it to Seattle for their matinee- that's plenty of time to socialise, right?"

Doc was sitting in stunned silence. Phil... and Dan too, he supposed- Daniel's original- they were  _both_ coming to his wedding?

 _He had a_ date  _for the wedding?!_

He... he was going to have his wedding, within the next  _month_. By the time four weeks had passed, he could be on his honeymoon with his husband- his  _husband_. Within four short weeks, he'd be  _married_.

Damn it. He was crying again, wasn't he?

"You okay there?" Tyler asked, tapping the doctor on the shoulder.

Doc nodded, the smile still plastered on his face as his tears continued to stream down his cheeks. "I'm fine, I'm- I'm brilliant, actually, I... thank you, all of you, you don't know how much this means to me..."

He engulfed Amy in a hug, his happy tears leaking through her sleeves as she hugged him back, laughing softly at his antics.

"It's Katheryn's friend that's performing the ceremony," Amy explained, patting Doc's back as they parted. "You don't mind a night wedding, do you?"

Doc could see it now- a night spent under the stars with Henrik, dancing in the moonlight as sappy music played in the background, rings upon their fingers, the promise of forever upon their lips... of course he didn't mind a night wedding. He wouldn't mind if he was married outdoors in a blizzard, because he'd be there with Henrik, and it would still be the best day of Doc's life to boot.

Had Mark agreed to this? What about Seán? Were they both alright with letting Doc and Henrik possess their bodies for the night? Well, perhaps for the ceremony itself, it was believable but... Doc doubted they'd want the doctors to stick around after the fact. And yet... they'd hardly get any peace back home in the Void if they retired immediately after the party...

"I'd love a night wedding," Doc breathed, still in awe over the idea of getting married so soon. He hadn't thought it possible, when Dark fell pregnant, to be married at any point within the year- but... but now it was more than possible. It was  _reality_. "I... I can't thank you enough for doing this. Are Mark and Seán okay with it?"

"Of course," Amy smiled. "Well, Mark took a bit of persuading, but... yeah, they're fine with it. They're fine with all of it- as long as you two go easy on each other and use protection, they've told us they don't mind you staying the night here,"

Doc felt his cheeks redden a little- so they  _had_  discussed what would happen after the wedding. Doc had forgotten momentarily that full-body possession was possible- he'd seen it when Phil was left to live out a few days in the Void. Would something similar happen to Mark and Seán if the doctors were to possess them completely? Would they visit the Void, see their egos, and befriend them?

Perhaps Mark wouldn't- he did have rather a lot of questionable egos there, but Doc felt that Seán would be ecstatic to meet his own. If he was any bit as family-driven as Henrik was, Doc was certain that Seán would have a wonderful time in the Void.

Though, it might be a shock to them to see just how many of their egos had ended up committed...

"I... I have to tell Henrik right away," Doc breathed, looking over the room and giving Mark's friends a happy smile. "I... I'll take tonight off, but I'll be back tomorrow to check on Dark- you don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not," Amy smiled. "Go tell him- 9th of August, you don't want to miss your own wedding,"

Doc laughed softly as he let himself fade away, materialising again in the Void where he'd last been standing. Host was sitting there, smiling, and the blind man stood to give Doc a warm hug. It seemed that he'd been alerted to the news by his curse- that thing certainly came in handy sometimes, as many moods as it ruined.

"The Host would like to congratulate the doctor, and hopes that he is invited to the bachelor party,"

"Oh, God, I'd forgotten all about that tradition..." Doc breathed, still exhilarated from finding out about the wedding. "I suppose it's expected of me, isn't it? If only Wilford was here to plan the thing... perhaps I'll entrust it to you, instead,"

Host seemed confused, but oddly flattered. "Dr. Iplier would let The Host plan out his bachelor party?"

"You'd be the least likely to invite a succubus, Host," Doc smiled, and Host let out a little laugh at the statement, knowing it to be true. There were quite a few reformed succubi and incubi around here- and the egos had come to know a few of them by name. They mostly came to the house for Wilford, but Kinkiplier often had some over- and once at a party Doc had seen them practically begging Dark to engage in a foursome with them. Honestly... they may have stopped seducing humans to kill, but they certainly still had sex on the brain.

"The Host would be honoured," Host smiled. "The Host tells the doctor that his fiance is waiting upstairs for him, and that Blank has not stirred in the time he was away,"

"Thank you for keeping watch," Doc called, already making his way upstairs. "I owe you one, Hostie,"

"The doctor can repay his debt by never calling The Host that name again," Host shuddered, folding his arms again.

Doc was too elated to care.

"Hen," he called out into their room, seeing his lover standing by the window. "Hen, you'll never believe what I learned out there,"

Henrik turned, smiling, and proceeded to wrap his arms around Doc's neck, kissing his cheek softly. He pouted when he tasted salty tears on his lover's skin. "Hast du been crying, Schatz?"

"Happy tears," Doc dismissed. "We have a date for the wedding,"

Henrik's eyes lit up, all of his previous worry forgotten. "Wirklich? Oh, Schatz, zat ist vonderful!"

"I agree," Doc sighed happily. "It's on the ninth of August, at 11PM- that's less than a month away, Darling,"

"Gott... es ist really happening, isn't it?" Henrik chuckled, cupping Doc's cheek with his free hand while the other wrapped around his lover's waist. "Mmh... I cannot vait. Have you already started your vows, mein Liebe?"

Doc swallowed a little nervously. He had, of course- he'd started them as soon as Henrik had said yes, saying them over and over in his mind until he'd gotten to a piece of paper and had written them down. But they still seemed so... plain. So similar to the promises he made to Henrik every day, so lackluster that he felt he was going to be severely unprepared by the time the wedding really did roll around.

He wanted them to be special, but... but how could they, when he said these words almost every day? Were they shallow promises? Did they mean anything at all?

He could feel his anxiety kicking in again, and he sighed nervously, resting his head on Henrik's shoulder.

"They still need some work," he sighed. "But of course, love- I've been practicing my vows since the day I met you,"

Henrik snorted, but didn't make any move to break their soft embrace as they started to sway on the spot, just enjoying the simplicity of being close to each other.

"Now zat is pushing it a little too far, do you not think?" Henrik teased. "I doubt zat either of us knew quite vhat ve'd end up being now, zat night..."

Doc smiled into Henrik's shoulder. That night... 

_"You got your doctor's licence from the back of a cereal box?" Doc mused, pouring them both a glass of wine- though he left his own half-full, knowing that too much of the stuff could very well mean his death._

_"Ja," Henrik agreed, his accent a little jarring and over the top- but Doc rather liked it. At first, he'd had to resist the urge to laugh aloud- but really, it was rather... cute. A terrible impression of the German accent, but a pleasant one nonetheless, and Doc felt as though he could listen to Henrik talk for hours on end, hanging on every word, and not once grow tired of it._

_"Well, I don't even have one, really," Doc laughed in return, passing Henrik his glass of wine and trying not to focus too much on the way the other doctor's lips twitched up as he took a sip. He'd arrived wearing a surgical mask- and though he could definitely pull it off, Doc felt he rather liked the features hiding beneath it more. The doctor had a little less facial hair than his older brothers- he was clean-cut and neat, and looked as though he actually cared about personal hygiene, unlike certain other Septiceyes he was acquainted with._

_He had soft baby blue eyes, and his hair was light green, and he wore a pair of simple glasses much like Doc's own. He kept his coat buttoned up. He was like... Doc, but better. Improved._

_He didn't hate it as much as he should have._

_"Hm, I'd say zat it does not matter vhat qualifications you have as long as you know vhat you are doing," Henrik shrugged, swirling his glass lazily._

_"I'll be honest, when I arrived I had no idea what I was doing," Doc confided, drawing up a chair and sitting alongside the other doctor, perhaps a little closer than necessary. "I only became moderately adept after studying the practice for years- I'm sure that Mark is great and all, but the way he wrote my character... I simply can't let it stand,"_

_"Ach, I understand zat completely," Henrik sighed. "Jack wrote me to be some bumbling fool in his video, but... I really do vant to be a good doctor. Though I do not know how I could become as skilled at surgery as ze likes of you, Doc,"_

_Doc tried not to sound too eager when he reached out, startling Henrik with a hand on his shoulder._

_"I could tutor you- it wouldn't be an issue," Doc started, feeling his cheeks pinking despite not even having touched his alcohol yet. "If you'd like to learn- I keep a lot of medical journals, and I have a lab attached to my quarters, and-"_

_Henrik laughed aloud, holding up a hand in effort to make Doc slow down. "Doc, Doc, calm yourself... you'd really do all of zat for me?"_

_"I- of course," Doc stated, a little shaken by the fact that his erratic rambling hadn't yet scared away the other doctor, but he felt he couldn't be anything but thankful for it. Henrik didn't seem the type to put up with this sort of babbling- none of the Septiceyes were. But somehow, despite all reason- he was still here._

_Doc shook himself out of it. "I'm always happy to help,"_

_Henrik smiled somewhat coyly- or perhaps Doc was simply seeing things. He felt all tingly and warm inside, like a boy thinking of his first crush- he hadn't felt anything quite like it in what seemed like years, and he didn't want to blow his chances with assumptions and rushed compliments like the ones that had won over Author all that time ago..._

_"Vell, I'd like zat very much, danke," Henrik smiled, and Doc felt a tightness in his chest- Lord, he must look ridiculous. His glasses were fogging in the heat of his cheeks, his shirt beginning to feel like a burden- he was all hot and bothered for a man he'd only met some few hours ago, and he knew he wouldn't be able to get over this one as easily as any other._

_He let out a breath, not realising he'd been holding it until his eyes had started to cloud over. Henrik was sipping his wine again, and Doc followed suit as he tried desperately hard not to think of touching those thin pink lips... would Henrik be as good at kissing as Yan claimed Marvin to be? Doc rather wanted to find out, but... the words just didn't sound right in his head._

_'I'm into you'_

_That wasn't something that you generally say moments after meeting someone, is it? Though they'd been talking for hours now, and Doc felt he knew all there was to know about the new ego- it still seemed rather soon to make a move._

_Rather soon to even feel an attraction, really..._

_"You seem distracted, mein Freund," Henrik pouted, setting down his glass. "Is mein company not stimulating enough?"_

_Oh, his company was_ stimulating  _alright- for all of the wrong reasons, in all of the wrong places... Doc didn't know what to say. He'd forgotten how to speak in his mindless haze of mixed arousal, and the fluttering of his heart was distracting him as Henrik inched even closer, brushing their fingers together. He was smiling softly- he had such an uplifting smile, one that seemed to sink Doc even further into the endless pit he called 'desire'._

_God, he had it bad..._

_"Komm, Doc- show me your quarters, vhere you intend to teach me," Henrik urged, lacing their fingers together carefully and pulling Doc up from his seat. He broke out of his stupor- what were they doing again?_

_"I... uh... huh?" Doc uttered, feeling more than a little lightheaded. Henrik only smiled- fondly? He was practically beaming, but Doc didn't quite trust those signals. Henrik was only trying to be friendly, most likely..._

_"Your quarters, Doc," Henrik repeated patiently. "Let us go zhere, und ve can so something a little more stimulating- vould you like zat?"_

_Why, oh why did his mind only want to make those words sound sexual?_

_"Yes, uh... right," Doc affirmed, clearing his throat as he led Henrik up the stairs that led to his section of rooms. It was long past midnight- everyone else had retired hours ago, and there was nobody around to see the way that Henrik's fingers remained curled around Doc's own as they ascended to the second floor of the manor._

_"This is my suite of rooms," Doc muttered quietly, not wanting to awaken anyone as he fumbled with the knob on his door. What had gotten into him today? He wasn't normally so useless- was Henrik's proximity really affecting him that much?_

_"Very nice," Henrik commented, looking around at the walls as Doc finally managed to open his door. Inside was the main area- his office, where he treated the egos of their various made up afflictions. He had two doors- one leading to his lab and the other to his bedroom, and Doc made a beeline for the lab door while Henrik looked at the various pictures on his walls._

_"This is my lab- I summoned all of the equipment myself," Doc said somewhat proudly, feeling a sense of calm wash over him as they stepped inside. It was as though the white of the tiles and the scent of disinfectant had snapped him out of his haze, reminding him that this was a place to be professional._

_Henrik looked around in awe. "Oh, Doc... zis is marvellous. Du hast ein ultrasound machine und everything- you must have studied very hard to know all of ze parts... es ist all functional, ja?"_

_"Well, Mark was once doing an engineering degree, so I'd consider myself fairly capable of putting together these machines," Doc replied, feeling his ears burning at the praise. This man would be the death of him, wouldn't he?_

_"I must say, zhey look rather accurate," Henrik told him again, turning and smiling as Doc grew even redder. The older man could hardly contain himself as Henrik wandered closer, pinching the skin of his arm as he trailed his thin fingers along Doc's skin, almost_ teasingly _._

_"H-Henrik?" Doc gulped, and Henrik raised his eyebrows as his eyes flickered up and down across Doc's face. He inched closer still._

_"You're cute vhen you are flustered, Doc,"_

_Doc's breath hitched in his throat as Henrik pinned his wrists to his sides, his lips just inches from Doc's own, his glasses fogging up and clacking softly with Henrik's as the space between them grew ever smaller._

_He wasn't sure who bridged the gap first, but then they were kissing- softly but firmly, the hairs of Henrik's neat beard brushing against Doc's stubble as the younger ego's hands started to roam down his waist._

_It was everything Doc had imagined and more- though he couldn't tell if it was his infatuation or Henrik's skill talking- and he let his newly freed hands reach to tangle in those soft green locks he'd been aching to touch for hours now. Henrik chuckled against his lips as they pulled away hesitantly, neither of them really wanting the embrace to end._

_Doc coughed to clear his throat. "Um... perhaps this isn't the safest place to be... well, doing this,"_

_Henrik smiled coyly again- and this time, Doc was certain he knew what he was doing. The way he'd willingly accepted that kiss, how he'd been touching Doc all over... yes, it was clear that they wanted the same thing. It may have been the alcohol talking (though Doc doubted that on his end) or it may have been genuine attraction- but both doctors knew what they were looking for tonight._

_"Zhen show me ze rest of your quarters, Doc," Henrik smirked, biting his lip teasingly. Doc felt himself flush even further, but this time he wasn't ashamed. Henrik clearly liked the reaction he was getting- and damned if Doc was going to let his pride get in the way of himself spending the night with that man._

_"Yes sir," Doc breathed, leading Henrik out of the lab, barely even making it into the bedroom before they were kissing again..._

"I'd like to believe I knew we'd be together back then," Doc smiled contently, letting Henrik kiss at the corner of his lips teasingly. He always was such a  _tease_...

"Mhm," Henrik agreed, pushing Doc so that he was sitting on the side of the bed, straddling him softly. "I as vell... it had already seemed like forever before you even asked ze question, Schatz- I had never put much thought into compiling promises after ve got together,"

"You've started them too, right?" Doc asked, not wanting to get too distracted before the conversation ended. Henrik was always pretty clear about what he wanted- and the way that he was grinding slowly against Doc's hips was extremely telling that he'd be waking tomorrow with half a limp, maybe more. Henrik nodded softly, kissing Doc sweetly on his lips once more.

"Ja, I started zhem... but do not vorry about it now. Let me show you how much ich liebe dich, Verlobter... Let me take control..."

Doc couldn't recall a single moment in the past two years that Henrik hadn't been in control- but he loved it all the same. It was nice to sit back and relax, and let his lover take on the task of providing him pleasure, doing nothing but lying there and letting Henrik have his way with him. Already the German doctor had unbuttoned the front of his coat, laying soft, soothing kisses across his chest, and Doc simply couldn't be more in love.

He'd managed to keep this man for over two years- and now, they'd be together forever. How had he done it? He didn't know, but he didn't care to repeat the magic for anyone else now that his happily ever after was in sight. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve such an amazing lover, or have such amazing friends... but he was happy.

Henrik kissed him again, then again, bearing down on Doc until the older man was gasping for him. He smirked. Just a few more weeks, and they'd be married... it was still so strange to imagine.

But neither would have it any other way.


	30. Chapter 29

**~Groundlands~**

Dark truly didn't know what he'd been expecting when he awoke from his slumber to find the bed empty and a note on the side table, pinned down by an alarm clock that read 1:45 PM. Anti was gone-  _Seán_ was gone, and the way the sheets had been tangled in Dark's fists told him he'd been gone for a while. How early had he left? Dark had been meaning to talk to him- to apologise, mostly. He felt absurdly guilty for taking advantage of Seán's kindness and sleeping with Anti while he was still in there- he'd relied on the fact that Anti wouldn't hold him against his will, but... but Seán had a habit of doing things he didn't particularly like, just to benefit others.

Which would normally be noble, but Dark didn't feel that letting Seán give up his body for the sake of Dark's romantic life was a very good way to show it.

He reached out to pick up the note, his limbs seeming to ache a little more than usual as he squinted to read the scratchy handwriting. Perhaps staying up all night with his lover hadn't been the best course of action- but he found that he'd rather face exhaustion and be satisfied than just play it safe and remain unfulfilled. His time with Anti had made him happy- so happy that all of his troubles had seemed to melt away while the glitch was here, and now he could feel Desiree stirring again, kicking at his walls as he smiled down at her.

She hadn't stayed still until she'd met Anti- she'd always been restless and uncomfortable, shifting around in Dark's womb and pushing at the sides as if she was trying to escape. But Anti seemed to have a calming effect on her- she'd slept through the night, and so had Dark, and it was possibly the best sleep he'd had in decades.

_'We'll talk about it next time'_

Well... Dark supposed that he should stop worrying. Seán had only left him a simple sentence- that must have meant he was okay with what happened, right? He did consent to let Anti pleasure Dark two nights ago on that sofa, and they'd only done mild touching since- but Dark still wasn't entirely comfortable dismissing it as fine without Seán's input on the matter.

He had a record of involving himself inappropriately in Seán's sex life, after all.

But he'd said they'd speak about it another time, and Dark respected those wishes. Perhaps he simply didn't want to acknowledge that it had happened at all. Dark could understand why it would be the case- his components both knew the emotional struggle of sleeping with someone they didn't want to. Though lately, Celine seemed to be coming around to the idea of Anti being theirs. She hadn't admitted it, but Dark could tell- she was suggesting more, reaching out more, a little more adventurous in her advances. And for Celine, that meant she was involving herself in more than just the sex that they shared.

And that, Dark knew, was more than any of them had expected. But he liked this feeling. This overwhelming outpouring of love for his man and his baby that wasn't only reliant on being sexually intimate anymore. He could enjoy the company now, without yearning for a little extra- without causing Anti to believe he was nothing but Dark's little toy.

Or perhaps he simply had less of a drive than usual. Could it have been caused by the pregnancy? Dark supposed it must have been. He let the note fall from his grasp, sitting upright and relishing in being able to stand on his own for the first time all week. He hadn't known how much he'd miss walking until his leg stopped working- and even now, it felt a little weaker than the other. But he was fine now. He  _knew_ that he was fine.

His stomach, apparently, had other ideas.

He wasn't sure who found him bent over the toilet seat, chunks of yesterday's take-out swimming in acid falling grotesquely from his mouth, but they weren't Mark or Amy. No, their hand was small but rough, and whoever it was knelt beside him, patting his back softly.

"Dodgy Taco Bell?"

Dark coughed a little, spitting the rest of the disgusting mess from his mouth. "Ethan...?"

"Me too," Tyler called from the door, walking in and helping Dark to his feet. "We came to see how you were doing- Seán left early and we tried to wake you, but you were sleeping like a rock,"

Dark bit his lip, holding his stomach uncertainly. "Ah... I see. Yes, I must... not be used to eating again, quite yet. I haven't been able to keep... anything down,"

He felt bile rising up in his throat again, but forced it back down, tears beading in his eyes as the acid burned away at the inside of his oesophagus. He wished there was a less painful way to endure this, but... well, he supposed he'd been asking for trouble when he let himself travel to the Groundlands in the first place.

"You don't think it's another turn, do you?" Tyler asked worriedly, prepared to catch Dark if he fell- but Dark shook his head.

"No, no Tyler- it is fine. I'm simply... experiencing nausea, like regular people do..."

Ethan didn't look so sure, but he felt he was in no place to decide what Dark was feeling when the man said otherwise. He shared a look with Tyler, who gestured in the direction of the stairs. Ethan nodded in understanding.

"The doctor's waiting downstairs for you," Tyler spoke up, nudging Dark along as the demon insisted he was fine. "He visited us last night, but we didn't really know what was happening, so he came to ask you about it instead. You up to it?"

"Of course," Dark uttered, looking into the mirror and wondering if he should change out of his old clothes. Well, not while Tyler and Ethan were here, perhaps... he decided it could wait. Everyone in this house had already seen him at his worst, anyway.

Downstairs, Dark could see Mark conversing with Amy. But it wasn't Mark- this man was more gesticulative, more serious- and he had some faded bags under his eyes that Dark knew all too well. Dr. Iplier turned to look at him, sending him a tired smile as Dark took a seat on the sofa.

He wondered vaguely if Mark had figured out that they'd ended up fucking on it despite his wishes. Oh well. They'd cleaned up afterwards, hadn't they? Dark could recall times he'd been less courteous about cleaning up his messes...

"Good afternoon, Dark," Doc greeted, offering his hand for the demon to shake. Dark chuckled a little.

"Doctor, please, I'd say that we're close enough to skip these formalities," Dark hummed, and Doc smiled in response.

"Perhaps," Doc agreed. "Still- how are you feeling? Amy mentioned that you had some... issues, yesterday,"

Dark sighed, flushing a little as he remembered just how pitiful that entire ordeal had been. He'd gotten so worked up over nothing at all- he'd never experienced gender dysphoria before, and he didn't even mind being androgynous in the first place- why, then, had he broken so completely yesterday?

"I am quite well, thank you," Dark stated, despite his inner turmoil.

Tyler coughed loudly, gathering the attention of everyone in the room. "He was throwing up his guts in the bathroom,"

Amy fixed him with a concerned look, frowning a little. "Dark, that's not  _well_ , that's unhealthy,"

"It was simply morning sickness," Dark huffed in defiance. "Truly Amy, I am fine now. I am not nearly as bad as I was before,"

"And you weren't fine yesterday, either," Amy pointed out, not buying for a moment that Dark was alright. "You were crying, Dark- for a solid hour, you were inconsolable. Look, I know you might be feeling okay now but you can't deny that it happened- Anti didn't know what to do with you, you were so out of it..."

Dark looked down in shame. "I... I know that the past is important, but that was a purely situational break in my shell. I pride myself on knowing exactly who and what I am, but... but in that moment, I didn't. It is, some may say, my greatest fear... not being in control of my own identity,"

"So it was unrelated to your stroke?" Doc noted, scrawling something on a pad of paper Amy had supplied. "Interesting... that is the only one of your symptoms that cannot be attributed to your physical health at the time. This is important- er, before I continue, how comfortable are you with discussing your sex life aloud here?"

Dark looked warily around the room. Tyler and Ethan didn't look like they really wanted to be here for that, yet Amy didn't seem bothered by the idea of staying. He shrugged.

"At this point, I've barely any secrets I care to keep," Dark sighed. "Though there is no requirement to be here for my words, if you do not wish to hear them."

"Ty, Eth, why don't you guys have lunch?" Amy suggested, ushering the two outside after a few moments of contemplation. "Bring us back some Chick-Fil-A or something,"

"What about you?" Ethan questioned, looking strangely at her as she opened the door for them. "You  _want_ to stay and hear about it?"

"Well, I'm mostly staying for Mark," Amy explained with a sigh. "He's still in there, and if something comes up he'll want me to be here for him. I wouldn't leave him alone if he didn't want to be, I'm not heartless,"

"Ah," Tyler sounded understandingly. "Alright. We should be back in... two hours?"

Amy nodded. "That's fine,"

As soon as they'd left, Doc became more serious. He straightened up, poising his pen, and waited until Amy was seated before asking the question that was burning on his mind.

"I'll cut to the chase, Dark- Henrik and I believe that there could be a virus in Anti's system that is released through his ejaculate. We questioned Jameson earlier today to check how much he'd come into contact with, and discovered that he'd taken a mouthful. So I need to ask you, Dark- how frequently do you two have oral sex?"

Somehow, the thought of Jameson pinning down Anti and sucking him off was hardly comforting to Dark, but he managed to push his jealousy aside for a moment to ponder on how often he and Anti usually did that kind of thing together. Though Anti had only become fully acquainted with his feminine form two nights before, they did have a lot of oral sex in his male form- it preceded most of their other exploratory activities, and it was perfect for lazy mornings and nights where Anti was a little too tired for anything else.

"Fairly often," he answered. "Three of four times it's included in whatever other activities we get up to in a round,"

Doc paused, his pen halted on the paper as Amy wrapped an arm around his waist. He knew it was for Mark's benefit- he knew that the poor man was struggling to relinquish his control for long enough even to let this interaction take place, but he still felt a little uncomfortable being so close to someone who wasn't his lover.

He shook himself out of it- this wasn't his body, after all. He really had no say over what was done to it.

"How often is he receiving?" Doc asked, clearing his throat awkwardly, though not because of the question. "And of those times, how often do you swallow?"

"I've only swallowed twice," Dark said after barely a moment's deliberation. He didn't really want to divulge these details, but... well, it was a matter of health, and Dark was carrying a child. Even if he wouldn't normally be concerned about himself, he wasn't the only one to watch out for this time. "The rest of the time it's only been in preparation for something else, or I've spat afterwards,"

Doc sighed, making another note on his page. "Alright... how frequently do you have penetrative vaginal intercourse?"

"Only once," Dark continued. "And it resulted in... this, obviously,"

He gestured to his round abdomen, and Doc nodded his agreement. "So the ejaculate  _definitely_ found its way inside then... how about anal?"

"I haven't been on the receiving end of that quite yet," Dark confided, feeling a little conscious that Amy was sitting right there- but she was scrolling mindlessly through her phone, and he wasn't even certain she was listening. It was... comforting. Dark had never been happier to be ignored.

"But that's what you normally get up to, right?" Doc questioned further. "I'd assume you two constantly get covered with each other's messes as well- that should be taken into account..."

"Of course," Dark affirmed. "The fun of it is getting a little dirty in the process, isn't it?"

"It's really unhygienic," Doc countered disapprovingly, shaking his head. "Which is why  _some_  of us use condoms and don't have to change our sheets every night- actually, I'd recommend that you get into the habit of using a condom in the future, Dark- especially if you can continue having children after this. We don't need another one of these messes unfolding,"

"Now now, I'm sure that the next time would hardly be so chaotic," Dark mumbled in slight embarrassment. Truly, he wouldn't mind having two children, maybe even three- but that didn't mean he wanted to go through the trouble of carrying and raising them all. One was enough to sate his desire for a family, thank you very much...

"I do hope for everyone's sake that you're joking," Doc mused. "So how often do you two have sex- how many nights a week, roughly?"

Dark thought for a moment. "Before this ordeal, it was usually five of seven nights, I'd assume. Some days it would be twice. Others it would be none."

"A little below average for a new couple, then..." Doc muttered, noting again. "Well, you've certainly qualified for contact with the stuff- and if Jameson's condition after just one night of intimacy is telling of anything, I figure that your condition might well be worse... that is, of course, if the problem truly lies in Anti's ejaculate. I will have to run tests to be sure. I've been meaning to... ask about that, actually,"

Dark raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, doctor?"

"Well," Doc sighed reluctantly. "It's never easy to ask for a semen sample from any of the egos, let alone Anti himself. They're all just so... immature. It's the one procedure I truly feel uncomfortable initiating, and... Anti is a difficult case. He doesn't even like checkups- Henrik barely got him to open up about his mental health the day he found out you were expecting. He just... likes to keep to himself. I don't know how to go about confronting him and telling him he needs to cum in a jar for us, Dark,"

"Just tell him I told him to do it," Dark dismissed. "He won't say no. And if he understands the risks that could be prevented if he does this, he'd do it in a heartbeat. If this... infection, as you call it- if that could spread to our child and damage her in any way, he'd do anything in his power to prevent it. He'd swallow his pride for us, doctor- he's done it before,"

Doc bit his lip. "Okay, I... I suppose I can do that. Well, I guess that's all I really needed.... Could you upload this document to my drive when I'm gone? I've left my details on the bottom here,"

"Sure thing," Amy nodded, picking up the page. "Are you leaving?"

"It would be best to," Doc sighed. "I've put off organising this couples therapy for far too long- plus, I'll have to talk to Anti about the sample I need. Thank you, all of you- you as well, Mark, for letting me stay here for as long as I have,"

Amy smiled. "If only Mark was as polite as you,"

Dark laughed softly- he could only imagine what the man was thinking right now as his own girlfriend ratted him out. Doc sent her a happy smile.

"And thank you for organising my wedding, I'm still... a little in shock, I'll be honest," Doc chuckled nervously. Amy let out a small 'aww' as she leaned forward, giving him a lingering hug.

"I'm happy to," Amy reassured. "Really- I'm always prepared and ready to do crazy things for the sake of you guys when Mark asks me- but I've never helped plan a wedding before, and it only seems... well, fitting, that it's for one of you,"

Doc laughed quietly as the hug subsided. "I suppose it is," he agreed. "Oh, that's another thing- Dark..."

Doc turned to Dark, somewhat nervously. "I... I was wondering if you wanted to be my best man,"

Dark blinked a few times. "I... you want  _me_  to be your best man, are you certain?"

"Well... yeah," Doc said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I mean- I'm one of the oldest egos, and you were one of the first people I met- plus, we've definitely become...  _acquainted_  with each others' personal lives, and... I feel like you're possibly my closest friend aside from Henrik. You don't have to, of course, but... well, even if I could choose between the others, none of them will be able to make it here..."

"I..." Dark started, happiness welling up in his heart. "Of course, Doc- I'd be honoured, but... well, depending on who is present, I may have to be your maid of honour instead," Dark sighed, smiling softly.

Doc only grinned back in return, not even surprised- how had he known? "I was wondering when you were going to come out about your real gender identity,"

Dark gave a small shrug, though he was still a little curious as to how the doctor knew about his fluid identity. "It was nothing against any of you that I didn't- I... I resemble someone that Wilford holds very dear when I'm female. I simply didn't want him to discover..."

Dark bit his lip as he trailed off, but Doc grasped his shoulder reassuringly.

"I know about Celine," he said, ignoring Dark's little gasp of surprise. "And Damien. Amy told me yesterday- and I understand what you're going through, Dark. I was once part of a singular identity, shared with another, and... and it's not easy to remain together for long, especially not as long as you have,"

Dark sighed reluctantly. "I... I'm afraid that I have no choice. My components cannot split into individuals like the rest of you- I'm rather like Septiplier in that I'm stuck this way. You're marveling at talents I don't even possess- truly, I can hardly cope being trapped this way. It's taken decades of hardships to reach even  _this_ amount of equilibrium between them..."

Doc gave him a sad smile. "But you're keeping it together, Dark- you don't act nearly as scattered as I felt while I was part of that fusion. I'd say that's something to marvel at,"

Dark's lips twitched slightly. "I suppose..." he conceded. "Still, regardless of what I present at the wedding- I'd be honoured to take the role. Thank you, Doc..."

"No, thank  _you_ ," Doc insisted. "If you hadn't taken me in and given me a home, let me change and evolve from what I originally represented, then... then I might not have even met him at all. I owe a lot of things to you, Dark- my happiness is only one of them,"

Dark hadn't realised he was tearing up until he felt the water start to trickle from his eyes, and he opened his arms, beckoning Doc to come in for a hug. Dark couldn't recall if they'd embraced in the past- Doc certainly seemed surprised at the show of weakness in Dark's usually hard exterior, but he relaxed quickly into the gesture, only breaking apart when Dark winced a little in pain.

"Sorry," Doc breathed. "Did I hurt you?"

"It's fine- it was just... my shoulders are a little tender," Dark gasped through the tears. "Yesterday, when I... had my moment of weakness, my dress..."

Doc cautiously reached to touch at the skin of Dark's clavicle, frowning at the crimson that was seeping through the fabric. It couldn't have been much- not enough to warrant great concern, but Doc still found himself worried that it hadn't bothered Dark until now.

"You're bleeding," Amy realised, standing from her seat. "I'll get a bandage- hold on,"

"It's nothing, really," Dark tried to argue, but Doc shook his head.

"It's a wound, Dark, and it doesn't matter how bad it is- it could get infected. You've had it since yesterday and it hasn't scabbed over?"

"It closed up in the shower," Dark explained. "And it wasn't deep at all... why would it...?"

Doc's eyes widened. "Dark... Dark look at this,"

He held up Dark's arm, which was leaking blood profusely from a number of deep slits that made Dark's stomach curl. Those... they'd healed over immediately the night he made them, back at Seán's house...

He grunted suddenly as he felt pain just above his stomach, pressing his hand to the place he'd been shot all those years ago.

"Shit- Amy! We're going to need the whole kit!" Doc called, watching Dark warily to see if he was going to collapse. But he seemed just as healthy as ever- if a little pained and confused.

Suddenly, he winced. "My wrist- doctor, let go-!"

Doc hastily let go of Dark's wrist, using his freed hands to apply pressure to another of the many wounds that were being uncovered in his midst. Slits on Dark's other arm, bruises littering the skin of his neck, bags around his eyes growing heavier still, until...

Dark collapsed, but he was still breathing. He was snoring softly, his chest rising and falling, blood seeping without mercy through his clothes. Doc... he'd never seen anything like it.

And all of the wounds, the blemishes, the cuts and bruises- they were sealing up. Healing. Fading from his skin as though they'd never even been present. As though it had all been some kind of hallucination.

Amy rushed back in, arms laden with first aid supplies, eyes wide and staring at Dark's limp figure.

"I... I don't know what just happened," Doc blinked. "He started... bleeding, from everywhere- and he had bruises on his neck, and..."

Amy cursed aloud, dumping the first aid kit and a handful of extra bandages on an armchair. "Shit... that's what happened last time. But last time he wasn't breathing- and last time it was definitely a stroke, but he... he seemed well today."

"I don't think this was a stroke," Doc said worriedly. "But that doesn't mean there is no cause for concern... it could simply be exhaustion."

He tapped at Dark's cheek, watching the man stir slightly. He tapped harder.

"Doctor...?"

"How are you feeling, Dark?" Doc asked.

Dark groaned, straightening his back and looking over his arms. "I... I feel a little lost. Did I fall asleep while we were talking?"

"What do you remember?" Doc probed. "The last thing I sad to you?"

Dark frowned. "You... asked me to be your best man. Then... I started bleeding, and-"

Dark looked over his arms in wonder, seeming to piece together some clues about what had happened. "Did you heal them?"

"No, no," Doc denied, sharing a curious glance with Amy. "I didn't get the chance- you passed out and they all went away. Has this happened to you before?"

"No..." Dark said quietly, eyebrows scrunched together. "Is it... cause for worry?"

"Perhaps," Doc agreed. "But you seem to have suffered no ill effects. Please, Dark- be careful. Remain seated at every opportunity, and don't move if you get dizzy, okay?"

Dark scoffed. "I'm not  _that_  ridiculous, doctor, I know when I need to sit..."

He was drifting off again- poor man. He probably had to catch up on all of the nights of sleep he'd missed while he was in the Void- but why would this sudden breakdown happen now?

It seemed that Dark's condition was worsening with every day he spent in this damn plane of existence. Was it the pregnancy? The cost of maintaining two physical forms instead of one alone? Dark didn't seem like he was in any position to answer. He was sitting there, eyes fighting to flutter open, looking frustrated with his own inability to remain awake.

Doc sighed in defeat. "I'm... I'm going to leave- but contact me if this happens again, alright?"

Amy nodded. "Alright... should we take him to bed?"

"I believe we should," Doc agreed. "Dark- Dark, we're taking you to your room. Please stay alert a little longer..."

Dark let Doc pull him to his feet, slinging an arm around him to keep him upright. Amy took his other side, and together they made their way upstairs. As soon as Amy opened Dark's door, the demon collapsed on his bed.

He truly didn't seem sick. Just... tired.

"I hope he feels better when he..." Doc trailed off, looking cautiously at a mirror that was hanging on the wall opposite the bed. It would be easy to fit through, if it were a doorway- and the fact was taunting him. If they managed to persuade Dark to walk through and return to the Void, Doc was certain that he'd be fine. But the baby... Doc just didn't know how she would react. Would her body shift with Dark's? Would she be harmed at all by the transition- would it simply increase her growth rate once more until Dark was rendered incapable of walking altogether?

It wasn't as though they could justify aborting now- even when they'd first discovered her, she'd had a heartbeat. Now, she could think and feel- and Dark could probably hear her, couldn't he?

Doc wouldn't let him be tortured by the screams of his dying child. He bit his lip, and forced himself to look away.

No, they were stuck like this. Tending to Dark as he grew sicker and weaker, just praying that his time wouldn't run out before he could make it back to the Void. Doc didn't know what would happen if Dark was to die here- because Dark had a material body, but he was also an ego. And egos never truly die.

Doc sighed reluctantly, tucking the sheets loosely around Dark's figure and making sure he wouldn't roll off the bed accidentally. Amy fixed him with a worried look.

"Is he going to be okay?"

Doc wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eye, not even sure if it belonged to himself or to Mark. "I... wish I could know that myself, Amy. But I must get back to Henrik- please, tell me if anything happens,"

Amy smiled sadly. "I won't let anything slip past you, Doc,"

"Thank you," Doc uttered with a smile, letting go of his hold on Mark's body.

Without the ego possessing him, Mark found he felt much weaker. Emotionally and physically- and now he couldn't stop the tears from streaming forth. He wiped them away but he could already feel the headache setting in- the crying, the pain, the sorrow... goddammit. Why couldn't he have hung onto his hatred of Dark forever?

"Damn it..." Mark sniffed. "Get me out of here... need to record some videos..."

Amy watched him sadly as he made his way downstairs, looking back at the sleeping form of Dark once more. This was all a mess- their feelings, their actions, their responses... she hoped that Dark really was just tired. That this didn't mean anything more than a little exhaustion- but... but she knew.

They all knew. He was dying, and by the look of it, not so slowly anymore...

**~Void~**

"You need me to  _what_?" Anti asked incredulously, green eyes opened wide. He'd just awoken from his sleep, curled up on Halter's couch where he'd been sitting the night before, to the news that Dr. Iplier had spoken with Dark earlier today. Schneep had come to break the news to him- that Dark was experiencing morning sickness and various other issues that they still needed to look into, but that the ongoing investigation about Jameson's glitched appearance required him to give a sample of his semen.

Anti hadn't known quite how to respond to that.

Schneep raised an eyebrow at him. "Vas I not clear? You need to ejaculate into zis container und give it to us as soon as possible so zat ve can run some tests on it,"

Anti wanted to believe he was joking, but who would joke about something like this? For some reason they seemed to think that this glitch was some sort of sexually transmitted disease- that Dark could be affected as easily as Jameson, and that Anti's semen held the key to uncovering the mystery of what exactly had happened to his brother.

But then, how had Anti gotten it in the first place?

He shook his head, not knowing whether to refuse or question him again. He had to cum in a fucking cup? Where the hell was he going to get the privacy to do that?

"I-  _what_?" Anti breathed again, his cheeks flushing as his mostly-healed throat started to bleed again.

Schneep tsked at him. "You are not ein idiot, mein Bruder. Vhat is ze issue hier, hm? Ich bin ein doktor, you know zat ve have no filter,"

Anti sighed in frustration. "I know that, it's just... weird to talk about,"

"Talk about vhat? Is zhere something wrong vith your ability to-"

"No," Anti interceded lowly, not understanding why Schneep wasn't lowering his voice. This type of conversation didn't really need to be overheard, and they weren't exactly alone in this house. "I just... don't really do this kind of stuff alone, okay?"

Schneep eyed him warily. "You do not masturbate? At all?"

Anti felt his cheeks flush even further, the temptation to stare at his feet growing even stronger at the confused expression on Schneep's face. Was that weird? Anti didn't think he'd even had an orgasm until his first time with Dark, but sexual frustration had never really bothered him before the fact. Sure, he'd get a kick out of using knives on his skin, but that stimulation alone was never enough to bring him to the point where he'd touch himself to relieve the pressure.

Goddammit... Anti really  _was_ weird, wasn't he?

He let out a heavy sigh, his eyes feeling a little heavier than usual. He hated being so  _different_...

"Do not cry, Anti, es ist nothing to be ashamed of," Schneep fussed, concerned. "I did not realise... hm. But you have no issues vith sexual performance vhen you are vith Dark, correct?"

Anti huffed a little sigh. "No..."

"Or vith Jameson, clearly..." Schneep muttered under his breath. "I do not think zat I have ever encountered someone zat has never explored zeir own sexuality alone before engaging in intercourse vith another... hm. Zat ist most curious- but I am sure zat you vill figure it out- I need zis sample, Bruder."

"But..." Anti breathed, sighing reluctantly. "I... okay,"

Somehow, despite how normal it should have seemed, Anti didn't really feel comfortable with trying to get himself off without Dark. It felt... dirty, like he was doing something scandalous, though he knew that he wasn't. Without Dark there, without... without  _someone_ giving him stimulation, he never even needed the release.

Would he even be able to get aroused alone?

Somehow, Anti doubted it. Even when he'd used to fantasise about being with Dark, his body wouldn't really react to the thought of being touched- only to the sensation when it finally came to be. That's why being with Dark was so special, in Anti's opinion. Sex with Dark brought emotions and feelings that Anti hadn't experienced before- hadn't even thought he'd needed until he'd been left alone for a week without Dark's affection. 

He'd like to say that it was Dark alone that stirred these feelings, but... well, his affair with Jameson had been a thing. It was the same knot of arousal that rose up, it was the same sensation as Jameson glided his hands across Anti's skin- so it wasn't only Dark that was capable of making him gasp and moan with pleasure.

But Anti wasn't so sure he could pull it off alone.

He shook himself from his thoughts- Schneep was staring at him worriedly, and there was truly nothing wrong with him- he was just a little... unprepared?

He offered his brother a weak smile.

"Okay," he said, with a little more confidence. He was nodding perhaps a little too excessively, but he was trying to convince himself more than Schneep. "I can... try that. Just... don't let anyone come near my room, okay?"

Schneep nodded in understanding. "I shall tell zhem zat you are catching up on sleep- vhatever method you use, make sure you take ze time to prepare for it- alright?"

Anti didn't think it was possible to flush further. He bit his lip as he nodded.

"Okay,"

"Good," Schneep said, handing him the container. "Make sure you get it to either Doc or myself as soon as possible- ve need ze opportunity to examine it vhile your sperm are still alive,"

Anti didn't question it- he just had to cum in a cup, and give it to the doctors before it dried out- right? He nodded, despite not really understanding what was required of him. Schneep patted his back in reassurance.

"Es ist perfectly normal, Anti, you are vorrying too much," Schneep muttered. "Just try to do vhat you know feels good- zhere are many vays to pleasure yourself, do not be deterred because vone of zhem does not vork,"

Anti sighed, the blood seeping from his neck starting to permeate his shirt. "Thanks, Schneep... I'll... go now..."

He hid the container behind him, as if that would somehow lessen the shame- though he was sure that nobody else would really know what he was using it for. Perhaps if it was out of his own sight, it would be easier for him to walk up to his room and face it instead of standing around and putting it off down here.

Schneep nodded. "Good luck,"

Anti had the feeling he'd need it.

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

Host felt mildly ashamed of how lost he'd been when Robbie had attended that meeting with his brothers. He'd spent so many months with his lover that living without him, even for a few hours... it was close to torture. There was nobody there to hold- nobody to talk to, nothing to tell him that he was wanted but the very forces that often told him the opposite. He was thankful that he didn't need to breathe, because he wasn't sure he'd have been able to in his erratic state of anxiety. He'd been fidgeting, muttering nonsense words, skipping between stories and plotlines with no direction- until he'd felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Robbie had been worried about him, Host knew. The poor zombie hadn't ever seen him so distraught- ever since their feelings for each other had been put out in the open, Host felt there was no need to be worried about acceptance anymore. And acceptance was hardly the issue- no, it wasn't as if he thought Robbie would leave him, or that he was staying away on purpose, but... but Host still felt a pit of despair welling inside of him whenever he couldn't sense the zombie around him.

Was he afraid that harm would come to his love? Perhaps. Host wasn't too sure. All he knew was that sitting here with the purple haired ego and waiting for Marvin and Yan to arrive was the most peaceful he'd been in several, long hours.

"So you understand vhat I am talking about, ja?" Dr. Schneeplestein asked again, and Host nodded his agreement.

"The Host affirms that he is aware of the concept of fusion. The Host had narrated all three events of fusion that occurred in the past few months, and is somewhat understanding in how it works. He, however, has no idea of how to initiate the act,"

Robbie squeezed softly at his hand, causing him to smile as Dr. Iplier cleared his throat.

"Well, when Daniel and I fused to fight Anti, we were united by a common goal," Dr. Iplier explained. "We'd both lost our lovers, and we were both set on getting revenge... we had such similar mindsets in that moment that it was easy to fuse into one being. You just... need to give yourself consent. You need to open your mind to the other person's ideas and wishes, and you'll find it's easier than blinking to become one,"

The door burst open, and Host knew that it was Marvin and Yan on their way inside. Though he couldn't quite see, he could hear their muttering- and he was narrating their entrance under his breath as the interactions unfolded around him.

"Sorry we're late," Marvin apologised, an arm around Yan's waist as the older ego sniffed. "He... had a little bit of a panic,"

"I'm fine- no, really, I am, it's just..." Yan shuddered. "The thought of sharing him with... with anyone, it..."

Dr. Iplier gave him a worried look.

Yan scowled in response, folding his arms. "I'm fine."

"If you do not vant to do zis, you do not have to," Dr. Schneeplestein reminded. "If es ist causing you stress, zhen perhaps it is not-"

"No." Yan said, a little more firmly. "This isn't about  _me_ , this is about  _us_. I don't  _care_  how uncomfortable I am, I... I only want to understand him better,"

Marvin gave him a reassuring hug. "It means a lot that you're doing this for me, Yan,"

The yandere shivered, but kept his determined stare.

Host listened vaguely to the explanation of fusion again as it was laid out for the newcomers, his touch on Robbie never faltering as the zombie kissed absentmindedly at Host's jaw. He couldn't deny, he was... well, he was nervous. Giving up control over himself, his thoughts and his actions, sharing them with another... it wasn't an easy thing to commit to. He'd do it with Robbie in a heartbeat, because there was mutual trust and affection in place there, but... well, as close as he was with his little brother, Host still felt sometimes that Yan didn't care about his opinions.

He gritted his teeth. That didn't matter- what mattered was his relationship with Robbie. How it functioned, how they operated together- it was so different to the way that Marvin and Yan's relationship was managed that Host believed it would be worth the adventure if he could impress some of his values upon them. If he could coach Yan by being part of him to treat Marvin with care, to cherish and hold him but still allow him space- if he could even attempt to do the things he usually did with Robbie, then maybe he could help their case.

Maybe, he and Robbie could help to fix Marvin and Yan's broken relationship.

"Our first thought was that you two could fuse together, and better understand each other's wants and needs," Dr. Iplier was saying, gesturing to Marvin and Yan. "But fusion requires mutual understanding, and... you two aren't there yet. Maybe one day you'll be able to manage it, but for now... we thought introducing another couple into the mix would widen your perspectives. Host?"

Host looked up despite being unable to see, reluctantly standing from his place on the couch. Robbie's hand slowly left his own, and he let out a deep sigh.

"The Host is ready," he muttered.

Dr. Iplier nodded. "Yan- come here. I have a feeling that you two are so similar that fusion will happen easily when you let yourselves go. You need to be touching in some way- and make sure that your minds are open. Accept each other's thoughts as your own,"

Yan gulped aloud, fidgeting nervously with the hem of his skirt. "I... okay. Host, c'mere..."

Yan inched his way carefully into Host's unsuspecting hand, a little embarrassed when the blind man flinched at first contact, but then he linked their fingers with a sigh.

"The Host apologises," Host muttered.

Then, everything around them seemed to vanish. Words fluttered through his mind- he could barely make them out, and he could hardly hear the confused gasping of his lovers as the vertigo ceased, his head pounding a little as he steadied himself.

He felt...  _different_. His skirt suddenly didn't seem at home, and he was wearing a heavy coat over his shirt- his red necktie poking through the front. The skin of his legs was covered in a smooth fabric and he was wearing simple black shoes. He felt something wet and sticky trickle from beneath his blindfold.

       

"I... The President is confused," he muttered. Was his hair usually this long? He lifted his blindfold, hoping to gather his surroundings, and- it all flooded back to him. His existence, his purpose, his...

"Robbie?" President breathed, something inside him stirring as he looked at the purple-haired zombie. He had memories of what the young ego looked like, certainly, but... but it was almost like seeing him properly for the first time. Though one of his eyes was reddened and barely functional, he could see the curve of Robbie's hips, the slight sag of his oversized shirt, the soft tousle of his pretty hair...

Robbie was a little startled as President walked over, cupping his cheek and staring into his white eyes like there were no others quite like them. This man... he wasn't Host. He had red hair and wore a navy blue skirt- and were those stockings? But it was undeniably him all the same. His bandages were tied in a neat little bow behind his head, and his tan coloured coat had been shortened so that it covered only just below his hips. One of his eyes belonged to the man Robbie loved.

But the other was soft, brown and...  _different_.

Robbie was silent.

President sighed. "I... I'm sorry, it's just that... The President knows that The Host has never seen... it's alright,"

President let go of Robbie reluctantly, though all he wanted to do was scoop up the little creature and hug him forever. Part of him knew that it was a silly idea- and that part of him seemed to be steering him in the direction of his other love.

He fought back the word 'Senpai' that was on his lips.

"Marvin," he breathed instead, and the magician's smile only widened.

"Hi," Marvin greeted shyly. "President, right?"

President grinned.

Doc cleared his throat. "I knew you two would be easy, but... well, you have very similar personalities. You two on the other hand..."

Marvin and Robbie exchanged a worried glance. They seemed to come to the same conclusion that the doctor had as they stood from their respective seats and linked their hands.

"You two aren't so familiar," Dr. Iplier finished. "But you have a closer brotherly bond- try to open your minds to each other. See each other's point of view. Perhaps... tell each other a little about how you see the world,"

"Um..." Robbie started, not really sure of where to start. "I... like to... sleep... a lot,"

Schneep snorted into his palm as Marvin chuckled nervously, his hand starting to sweat in Robbie's own.

"I know," Marvin nodded. "So do I- mainly with Yan. Uh- I mean- not always like... ugh,"

Schneep was slightly pink in the face and Dr. Iplier was looking at them humorously as Robbie let out a little rumbling laugh.

"I do too... with Host,"

Marvin's eyes widened. "You mean you guys have already...?"

Robbie nodded, biting his lip, afraid of what Marvin might say. But the magician was beaming.

"Huh," Marvin shrugged. "I never thought you'd lose it before Jackie- good on you, man,"

Robbie tried to fight back his relieved smile, but found that it graced his lips all the same. He laughed with Marvin for a few moments as the awkwardness slowly faded from the air around them.

"He's my everything, you know?" Marvin confided. "I want to make this work between us... I hope this entire thing helps,"

"I'm sure... it will," Robbie assured him, placing another hand on Marvin's arm. "If we... work together..."

Robbie sighed happily, thinking of how Host was the first person to take him seriously. The first person to see him as more than just a slow little brother, more than even the strange zombie that the other Ipliers took him for. A friend. A  _lover_. "He's my... everything too..."

They both stole a glance at President, who was looking rather tense standing all alone on the other side of the room. He was fidgeting, muttering, playing with the hem of his skirt as he watched both of the men that held his heart longingly. He was so like Host in that he was quiet, calculated, anxious about the next move... and yet he was so like Yan in that he was unafraid to show affection, and wanted to make his partner feel loved, and... and he needed a partner for that.

 _I could be that partner_.

Necromancer didn't notice he'd fused until he walked forward, two legs and two arms moving with the combined power of two hearts. He was wearing a mask that itched his features, and he could feel his hair bobbing gently as he made his way over to the other fusion in the room. His shirt sleeves were uneven- one was long and striped, the other short and plain blue, and he wasn't wearing any shoes- only a simple pair of white socks. A cape was flowing softly behind him.

     

President's brown eye flashed. "I... wow,"

"Hello..." Necromancer spoke aloud, his voice sounding a little slower than he remembered- but that was okay. President didn't seem to mind.

The older fusion bit his lip nervously. It seemed he was at a loss for words, ironic as it may be- but eventually he worked up the courage to step forward and wrap his arms around the culmination of his lovers, sighing in relief when he hugged him back.

"I'm Necromancer," he greeted when they'd parted, hands drifting slowly from President's shoulders to his waist.

"Charmed," President breathed, grasping one of Necromancer's hands in his own and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. Across his forearm were four tattoos- and President recognised them as the four suits of playing cards, lined up in a row. He particularly enjoyed the way that Necro's cheeks flushed softly at the display of affection.

"Mein Gott, zhey are already flirting," Schneep sighed, shaking his head somewhat fondly. "Vell, I suppose zat means zhere is a chance of zis vorking."

"They're already displaying more mutual affection than Marvin and Yan usually do," Doc agreed. "Do you think we should... leave them to get acquainted before we push them into anything?"

"I think that might be a good idea," Schneep nodded, observing the giggly mess that was evolving in front of their eyes. President had his arms wrapped around Necromancer's waist as he muttered what could only be sweet nothings into the shorter fusion's hair. Necro himself just seemed happy to be there- he'd discarded his raven-like mask so that he could nuzzle into President's chest, both of his eyes milky blue and slitted vertically, half lidded in contentedness.

There was twice the love in these two- twice the affection, twice the desire for intimacy of all kinds. But the doctors knew that there was also twice the chance that something could go horribly wrong.

They only hoped that the stability of Host and Robbie's simple relationship could balance Marvin and Yan's chaotic love life long enough for them to see where they could improve upon it. That was the purpose of this exercise, right?

Perhaps if they returned in an hour or so, the fusions would have stopped their incessant touching and exploring. Perhaps...

President and Necromancer never even noticed the doctors leave the room.


	31. Chapter 30

**~Void~**

Anti growled in frustration, one hand wrapped around his dick while the other was clenched in the sheets, furiously rubbing at his skin in hopes that it would take a damn hint already and start to tighten. His fingers were slick with lube and his arse was throbbing a little in pain, and he'd already tried to finger himself- it just... it wasn't  _working_. It wasn't satisfying- not at all. His fingers were too fucking small, and he was barely able to get an inch deep in there before his shoulder would start to ache from straining too hard- and he'd tried to position himself differently but there was just no way that this was going to work out how he'd originally planned.

It just couldn't compare to when Dark did it. Dark, with his huge hands and his strong grip, his gentle touch that teased Anti until he was gasping before fucking into him harshly with his fingers. Anti often thought that the reason Dark managed to turn him on so easily was because it was always a surprise when his caring gestures flipped into his dominant ones- when a gentle caress of the inner thigh became a pinching sensation on his skin, when a slow lovemaking session turned into Dark pounding him senseless into their mattress...

But Anti didn't have the element of surprise over himself- he'd already stopped twice to take breathers and Dark didn't usually give him that option, but he found that during his little breaks between stimulation, the arousal he'd managed to get pent up inside of him flowed away before he could chase it again.

He needed someone else, goddammit. Someone who didn't know Anti's self-made precautionary limits, someone who could push him over that elusive edge he just wasn't capable of reaching alone. Preferably Dark, but... well, Anti knew that wasn't a possibility.

He rubbed a little more vigorously, but he was still soft as ever. How had he managed to get so damn aroused just by being next to Dark yesterday? He felt as though he'd never be horny again, though he knew it wasn't true.

If Dark could pull it out of him- if  _Jameson_  could pull it out of him, then surely Anti could as well.

And Anti was ashamed to admit that he'd thought of Jameson being here, touching him, while just begging for his body to respond to his own teasing motions. Jameson's hands were also small, and they had the same body type- but Anti seemingly couldn't fool himself into thinking it was somebody else. It was just him and his hand, and a half-emptied bottle of lube that glared up at him from the covers.

He grunted aloud in his anger, though it was mainly directed at himself. Why was this so difficult? Surely jacking off was hardly so stressful when any of his brothers did it- surely it was almost second nature to them by now. Why was Anti so different? Why did he rely on the touch of others to even get a rise?

_You're freakish._

_Pathetic._

_You don't even know yourself well enough to please yourself._

_Like a child touching himself for the first time._

_Weak._

_Useless-_

"Shut the fuck up!" Anti snarled, ready to throw himself at a wall with frustration. They were trying to rile him up- it was what they always did. But this time, they weren't succeeding in beating him down. They were only adding to the pressure on his short temper- because he could  _do this_. He knew he could do this- so why was it so hard to accomplish?

He hurled his bottle of lube at the wall, hard enough to dent it- but he didn't care about the damage. This wasn't about the sample anymore- this was about his  _pride_. He didn't want to be reliant on another's touch to get him off- he was an independent man who could do things for himself. While he knew he wanted Dark here, he also knew he shouldn't  _need_ him for something like this. Something that came naturally to men much younger and less experienced than he was...

He sighed, forcing himself to calm enough to stand and slide his jeans back up. He fiddled with his buttons, trying to tease himself into getting hard one last time- but no such luck. He ran a finger through his hair and scowled at his reflection in the mirror. He was sweaty and flushed as if he'd had an orgasm, but... but he  _hadn't_. And that was jarring on his nerves more than he'd care to admit.

He scowled once more at the little mess of lube and spit he'd left on the sheets of his bed. So dirty, and yet... absolutely  _nothing_ had come from it. He slammed his door in distaste.

"Whoa- are you okay?"

Anti flinched as he turned to see Septiplier standing in the hallway, looking a little worried for Anti's sanity. Well, Anti supposed that he was right to be- if he didn't manage to get this stupid fucking sample within the next two hours he was afraid he might scream.

"I'm... here," Anti growled. "I'm here, and I have places I'd rather be and people I'd rather be doing in those places, but I'm just... fucking  _here_.  _Alone_. I hate it."

Septiplier bit his lip, two of his hands interlocking out of nerves. He hadn't ever seen Anti so pissed off. "Should I... be concerned?"

"Maybe," Anti muttered. "I don't... I don't know, okay?"

"You sound like you need to get laid," Septiplier teased, and- yeah, Anti knew that it was a joke. But damn, if he could only be getting fucked into the bed right now- he'd have had that sample in no time, and then some.

Anti must have been staring into space for a while, just imagining Dark screwing him hard into his sheets before Septiplier snapped his fingers in front of the glitch's face, getting his attention again.

"Seriously, Anti, what's up?" Septiplier asked genuinely. "Do you want to go in there and talk about it-?"

"No." Anti cut him off, shaking his head. He wasn't about to let Septiplier see the mess he'd created trying to fuck himself to orgasm and failing. "And you got it right the first time, man, I really just need to get fucking laid,"

Septiplier cocked his head to one side, not really understanding where Anti was coming from. He'd just come back from a two day stint with Dark, right? Surely it hadn't been long since the last time they'd been intimate. "Um... okay?"

"It's a long story," Anti sighed, resigning himself to explaining everything that had happened. Septiplier was the closest of his brothers- the closest friend he had that was still here in the Void. He knew that the fusion would understand- or at least, if he didn't understand, he wouldn't judge.

And so he told him. About what had happened with Jameson and how it had all linked back to him, about the sample he was supposed to be giving to the doctors as soon as possible, about how it had already been over five hours and he hadn't even managed a half-chub. After a few sentences, he seemed to just forget about using a filter for his words, letting them fly out of his mouth without a second thought.

Septiplier looked on with wide eyes. He fidgeted nervously with his own fingers as Anti grew more frustrated, practically growling by the end of his recount. Septiplier reached out to grasp the older ego's shoulder, worried that Anti might actually explode if he talked any faster.

"Damn, Anti, I... I didn't have any idea," he said truthfully. "Well I mean... I don't tend to think a lot about your sex life anyway, but I'd never thought..."

"Am I weird?" Anti uttered, tugging at his hair as if it would relieve the tension. "For not doing it?"

"No," Septiplier was quick to answer, sounding completely honest and genuine. "Of course you aren't- it took me a while too, but... that was because I didn't trust my knowledge, given that it's all come from half-assed smut fics on the internet, and... well, let's just say my body is hardly normal. I started out slow too, believe me,"

Anti looked at him curiously. The heck did that mean? "Huh," he said, surprised enough to be distracted from his angry ranting, wondering what exactly Septiplier meant by 'hardly normal'. Sure, he had four arms and four eyes, but that shouldn't really impact on something like this- should it? He left it alone- if Septiplier wanted to talk about it, he'd say something- and Anti respected his privacy.

"But... I'll bet it didn't take you over four years,"

"No," Septiplier admitted. "No, it was closer to one. Then I completely lost any desire to have sex when I got really depressed, and... I guess it was killing my drive. Maybe it's killing your drive too,"

Anti shook his head. "Believe me, Septiplier- I was completely able to get hard when I showered with Dark yesterday, and we weren't even really touching. I just... feel like I'm not good enough for myself. That's a dumb excuse, isn't it?"

"I don't think so," Septiplier assured. "I always feel like I'm not good enough for my own standards- and I'll bet any money that you do as well. It just so happens that you feel that way about other things than I do,"

Anti let out a small, relieved sigh. At least Septiplier didn't think he was a freak.

"Thanks, buddy..." Anti replied. "But I still need... I need to get this sample, and I'm worried I'm going to freak out if it doesn't happen soon,"

"You need to relax- no wonder you can't get it up, Christ Anti..." Septiplier fussed. "It doesn't work like that- if you're stressed out, whether you're giving pleasure to somebody else or to yourself, it's not going to work out well. You need to calm down- play some music, or light incense, or whatever you do for relaxation..."

"I usually just cuddle with Dark," Anti sighed in defeat. "And that's... that's it. I don't think I ever really relaxed until I came back to live with him... fuck, I wish I had something that smelled like him. We've never been together in my place before, and all of his stuff vanished with the manor, and..."

"Oh, Anti..." Septiplier muttered sympathetically. "Why don't you talk to Schneep about it? Tell him you're having problems-"

"He thinks I can manage it alone," Anti interceded, shaking his head. "And I'm sure he probably has some kind of chemical shit up his sleeve that'll make me hard as fuck, but it's a pride thing now, Septiplier... if I can't even manage this, what am I really?"

Septiplier sighed. "I see where you're coming from, but... I also really don't. Look, if you don't want to go to Schneep, why don't you go to Chase?"

Anti's eyes widened. " _Chase_? You want me to bring someone  _else_ into this thing?"

Septiplier shook his head. "No- I'm not forcing you, I just... I know he has experience with stuff other than his hand. That's all. And I'm sure he'd be happy to tell you- he's been aching to give someone 'the talk' ever since he arrived,"

Anti let out a winded sigh. "But Septiplier, you know- and Schneep knows, and Doc knows, and... I don't really want  _everyone_  to know, you know?"

"I know," Septiplier chuckled at how scattered Anti's sentences were. "But Chase wouldn't tell- not to anyone but the doctors, and they already know what's going on, obviously. I don't see the harm- and besides, you seem like you need all the help you can get,"

Anti flushed a little. Well, he supposed he couldn't argue with that.

"Okay," he conceded, still feeling a little shameful for oversharing with Septiplier. He'd have to try to hold back a bit with Chase, but- damn it, that man always needed to know all of the details. Chase Brody was simply an ego with a thirst for knowledge that couldn't be quenched.

Septiplier gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you'll do it, Anti, I believe in you,"

That statement almost seemed like something to be proud of- that is, until Anti remembered it was in reference to somewhat of an erectile dysfunction. God, he hoped that this wasn't permanent...

And that was how he found himself traversing the hallway, trying to remember which of the new rooms he'd created belonged to his little brother Chase. It wasn't the one on the end- that belonged to the doctors. And obviously, it wasn't his own or the one across from him. He believed that one had Google in it, considering the general lack of noise that came from within. Marvin and Yan were next to that one- and Anti knew it was theirs because they were so damn loud when they did  _anything_. Sexual  _or_ otherwise.

Which only left two rooms- both of which were closer to the doctors' end than his own. One belonged to Host and Robbie, the other to Chase and Bing- but Anti didn't really want to chance walking in on something he shouldn't. Now that he knew Robbie and Host were sexually active, he had to be a lot more careful about which doors he could burst into uninvited.

He settled for knocking on the first door he found- no answer. He frowned, and knocked again.

"Chase?" He called nervously. The others weren't out and about- they had to either be in their rooms or in Halter's house, and Anti didn't really feel like going over there to talk about sex issues. As silly as he knew it was, he felt a little safer talking about his problems within the safety of his own walls.

"I'm here,"

Anti turned to see Chase walking down the hall, looking at him curiously. "That's Host's room, remember?"

Anti sighed- he figured as much. He really should get to know the layout of his own damn house, shouldn't he? But he'd spent most of his time this past few days with Dark, or at Halter's- he'd barely even gone back to his room until Schneep had asked him for the sample. He rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I was wondering why nobody was answering... where are they, anyway?"

Chase shrugged. "I don't know, man, helping out with Marvin's therapy most likely. Though it's been over three hours, I don't see why it would take so long. Still, you wanted me?"

Anti bit his lip. "Uh... yeah, see, I have... a problem?"

Chase raised an eyebrow. "Okay... I know that tone of voice, come in,"

Chase opened the door to his room, beckoning Anti inside. What did he mean, he knew that tone of voice? Before Anti could question it, he caught sight of Bing looking at them from over by the window. He'd been sitting at a desk- probably pirating songs from 2008 again.  _This damn android_ , Anti mused. But his playlists were pretty solid, so Anti felt he couldn't really judge where the music came from. Besides, it wasn't as if they even had money to get it legally.

"Uh... safe for Bing to hear?" Chase asked, not wanting to push Anti into something he didn't want to do. Anti hesitated slightly. It wasn't that he didn't trust Bing- because really, he knew that the green-clad android was nothing but loyal and honest, to somewhat annoying degrees. But it was another person- and Anti felt that already he'd told more people than absolutely necessary.

"I mean... I guess having a search engine in on it might help," Anti sighed. "He can stay, I guess, but..."

"What's the problem, dude?" Bing asked, coming to sit next to Anti on the bed. Chase joined him at his other side, sandwiching him in a group hug that felt rather comforting. Almost comforting enough to make Anti forget about his struggles-  _almost_.

"Well..." Anti breathed, deciding there was no use beating around the bush about this. "I... need to give a semen sample to the doctors but I've never actually touched myself before and I'm finding it really hard to get off alone,"

Anti was out of breath by the time he finished his sentence, still instinctively looking at the ground, afraid of facing the humiliation that his confession would surely bring. Because Chase masturbated a lot- Anti knew it, heck, the whole manor full of egos knew it. He wasn't exactly a quiet man. Going to Chase about something like this was like going to a master artist for help with finger-painting.

Chase patted his back softly, apparently not even perturbed by the weight of those words as they left Anti's mouth. "Okay... so what have you tried?"

Anti blinked warily, fixing him with a surprised yet relieved stare. "I... you're not weirded out?"

"Dude, I've talked casually about stranger things than this," Chase snorted. "It's perfectly normal- especially if all you've ever known is Dark, because you'll obviously feel like it's not good enough when you try if someone else can do it so much better. I don't think there's a single guy out there that would tell you masturbation feels better than sex- because one dude and his hand can't compare to how it really feels between two people,"

Anti took a second to process what Chase just told him. He bit his lip nervously, still a little uncertain. "So... it's normal to struggle with things like this?"

"Well... define  _struggle_ ," Chase replied. "How far have you managed to get, exactly?"

"I've barely managed any fucking tingles, Chase, it's pretty bad," Anti huffed, annoyed with himself still despite all of their efforts. "I've tried rubbing one out, and I've tried fingering, but... it just seems like it's not enough,"

Chase whistled lowly. "Have you tried using something bigger than your fingers?"

"No..." Anti trailed off. It hadn't even occurred to him to use something else to fill himself- but now, he felt like an absolute idiot. "Like what?"

"Like a dildo or something," Chase suggested, ignoring Anti's blank stare. "Or... anything, really- anything can be a dildo if you're brave enough,"

"Chase, what in the everloving  _fuck_ is a dildo?" Anti sighed in frustration. Was this common knowledge that he was meant to be in on? From Chase's incredulous expression, Anti supposed it was. He huffed again in disappointment. This encounter was doing absolutely nothing for his self-esteem.

"It's like... you know, a fake dick," Chase explained after getting over his surprise. "Like a long piece of silicone that's textured to feel like a penis- or it could be made of rubber, or glass, or... anything, really, there's a lot of variety with these things."

Anti raised an eyebrow warily. "You mean like the pink glittery things Wilford keeps in his side drawers?"

Bing snorted, involving himself for the first time in their little chat at the mention of the mustached man. "Yeah, I'd bet those are dildos. But Wilford isn't exactly normal- there are plenty of dildos that just look like normal dicks, you don't have to get coloured or styled ones,"

"So that's what they're used for..." Anti sighed. Yeah, they'd looked phallic enough when he'd seen them that once, but the detail was all lost in the glittery mess. They all just seemed like bright pink sausages of varying width and length. Anti would never have guessed that they were actually sex toys.

"Gross," Anti shuddered when the realisation finally hit.  _Of course_  Wilford would fuck himself with pink glitter dicks. He could probably have any dick in the manor, yet he still kept these fake ones for whatever ungodly reason. Maybe, he used them on Jameson.

Yeah, that was a thought Anti wished hadn't crossed his mind. He shook his head again, but the image was all too persistent- it didn't help that he knew what Jameson looked like naked and sweaty and hot with pleasure. He pinched himself,  _hard_ , bringing himself back to reality. He sighed aloud.

"You think using one of those would help?"

"Well, it's definitely bigger than fingers, and that was your problem, right?" Chase asked. "That it wasn't satisfying when you did it?"

"Yeah..." Anti muttered, ears turning red. "I guess..."

"It's just an option," Chase said hastily. "You don't have to use one- there are heaps of other ways to stimulate yourself. There are other anal toys- but there are also toys you can fuck into to help you get off,"

Anti wasn't sure his face could get any hotter as he nodded. Damn it, he was already knee deep in his problems with Chase- he might as well hear him out. Why was it so embarrassing to talk about these things, when he'd had no problem adjusting to actually doing them with Dark?

"I... I think I'm looking more for things I can put inside me," Anti said quietly, ashamed to admit it aloud at all. "I've... missed having Dark here, and we got up to some things in the Groundlands but he can't fuck me while he's pregnant and I feel like I just need..."

"Do you want to try a dildo?" Chase asked carefully when Anti trailed off. "I can get Bing to make one for you- he's pretty good at making things with proper dimensions and stuff, he makes everyone's condoms after all,"

Anti tilted his head to one side, looking up weakly at the android who was still sitting beside him. "You make condoms for  _everyone_?"

"Well, only the doctors ever end up using them," Bing shrugged. "It's not that hard to do- pun totally intended,"

Anti groaned into his fist. "I forgot for a moment that I came to the resident memelords about jacking off..."

"That'll be a story to tell the grandkids," Chase snorted. "Here- Bing, can you make one that's bright enough to see the ridges?"

"Sure thing," Bing replied. A floppy piece of what seemed to be blue plastic fell into Anti's lap, and he jumped a little- he hadn't really been expecting that. It was long and thick- thicker than his fingers by a landslide, but not quite as thick as Dark was. And it was... pretty realistic. It had veins and ridges, and a defined head- and the base was clearly modelled to look like a pair of balls. Anti didn't really know how to feel about it.

Chase just picked it up as if it was nothing- was this some sort of everyday occurrence for him? Did it not make him feel awkward to be holding a model dick- did it not make Bing feel awkward?

_Or maybe, they're into that._

Yeah, Anti supposed there were weirder things to be into. It reminded him... perhaps he should bring out his knives later. Though they'd been having less of a stimulating effect on him lately, they'd used to bring him little bursts of pleasure when he felt lonely.

It was better than relying on his hand, anyway.

"So there's not really a wrong way to use a dildo," Chase started nonchalantly, "it's just like taking a dick. You gotta lube it up, prepare yourself a little- then you can slide it on in."

"You seem to know a lot about dildos, Chase," Anti muttered, blinking a little. "I'm lost here- so you just... just treat it like a penis, right?"

"Yeah," Chase agreed. "And yeah, I know a bit- even before Bing and I were together, Stacy used to fuck me with a strap-on sometimes. But that doesn't matter right now- if you need to get in the mood first, you can give it a little foreplay- pretend there's someone attached to it. Suck it off and touch it, that can help you get horny,"

"I..." Anti uttered, part of him uncertain about whether he'd be able to do that physically. "I don't... I'll just get back to you on that,"

There was no way he was going to put that bright blue piece of silicone in his mouth and pretend to give it pleasure. There were some lines that Anti just wasn't going to cross here- and making love to a fake penis was a little out of his comfort zone. If he used a dildo at all, it would only be as a toy- he wouldn't try to substitute it for the real thing. After all, Anti knew that the blue silicone  _thing_ probably couldn't feel less like a dick if it tried...

"Some people put condoms on their dildos for extra protection," Chase continued. "But I don't really bother- and you don't have to use this one. You could go smaller, bigger- whatever you think works,"

Anti sighed reluctantly, picking up the dildo and looking it over, balancing it out. It was heavier than it looked- just like a regular dick. But also... not. This wasn't for him, he knew it- but what choice did he really have here? He'd try anything if it would help him get his sample, help him figure out what had happened to Jameson that brought him to tears... even if that something was sticking this thing in his ass and hoping for the best.

"If you're up to it, you could try to make a copy of Dark's penis," Chase continued, only faltering a little upon mentioning Dark's name. "That could help- you know, familiarity and stuff,"

Anti choked on his own saliva, swallowing as his throat grew tender. " _Jaysus_... warn me before you go around mentioning Dark's dick in sentences like that..."

Chase smiled weakly. "I mean- if you don't want to do that, you don't need to. Just a suggestion. Bing, anything to add?"

Bing tilted his head to one side. "Take these," he said after a few moments, handing Anti what could only be described as way too many condoms to even count- he watched with wide eyes as the little packets fell into place in his lap, summoned from thin air. "It's hard to aim your seed when you're in the moment, you know? Better just to catch it."

Anti groaned softly. "Never use the word 'seed' to describe semen again,  _fuck_... um..."

He picked up a little square packet, feeling the circular ridge of the condom through its wrapper. He swallowed- was this even more basic knowledge that he didn't have?

"I've never actually... used one of these," Anti admitted.

Chase tsked. "Well, considering Dark's walking around with a baby Anti inside of him, I sort of figured. See, you don't want it to burst- so you pinch the tip before you roll it on, gets rid of the air bubble and makes it harder to accidentally break it,"

Chase had torn off the edge of one of the wrappers, sliding out the condom and holding up the dildo as he demonstrated how to use it. Anti felt a little nervous about actually doing it himself, but it seemed simple enough. Chase pinched the little nub at the tip of the condom, pulling the latex down until it reached about halfway down the shaft, smoothing out some of the bubbles and inconsistencies until it was as close to perfect as it could be.

"Now  _that's_  ready for insertion," Chase smirked, seeming to enjoy how flushed Anti was getting as the conversation grew stranger. "Come on, Anti- let me dad out on you this once, seeing as I'll never be able to give my own kids condom advice..."

Anti sighed. "I... okay. Fine. Anything else I need to know?"

Chase shrugged. "As far as condoms go, that's about it. Just don't try to force it because if you're doing it right it's natural- and I mean, there are obviously different kinds of condom out there that you'd need different instructions for, but those are mainly for people who like variety. I haven't used any, that's for sure- if you ever get curious, I know for a fact that the doctors-"

"Okay, how do you know so much about everyone's sex lives?" Anti muttered, feeling a little embarrassed. He really didn't want to hear about what the doctors got up to in the bedroom- even knowing what kind of shenanigans Host and Robbie got up to was enough to make him uncomfortable.

Chase shrugged. "I only know about the ones that come to Bing for stuff, man- that being you, Wilford and the docs. Nobody else ever needs to know about shit like this, apparently. I swear, I won't tell anyone about your private stuff- the docs have said to direct people who want experienced opinions to them, that's all."

Anti let out a sigh. "Okay... sorry for snapping... I'll... go now. Um- not with that thing. I'll take these though,"

Anti stood, filling his pockets with a handful of condoms and leaving the dildo behind. "I'll... get back to you on how well it works out later, okay?"

"Okay," Chase agreed. "Have fun,"

Anti snorted humourlessly. "Right, I can try..."

He closed the door behind him as he left the room.

"He left some condoms behind," Chase smirked, holding up a few of them and fixing Bing with a seductive grin. "Think we can put them to good use?"

Bing let out a laugh, scooping Chase up and setting him down in his lap. "If you want to. Want me to play any sexy music this time?"

"Fuck yes," Chase breathed, pushing them both onto the mattress and pressing his lips fiercely to Bing's own, grinding against him for good measure. "I love hearing it stutter and crackle when you're close, baby..."

Bing let Chase kiss down his neck, pushing his shirt up from his waist and tugging the sleeveless jacket he wore from his shoulders. He sorted mindlessly through a playlist of sensual songs he'd found on YouTube, far too focused on how Chase's teasing fingertips were gliding along his body to make a conscious decision right now. He faintly recognised the music, but didn't give it much thought as Chase pulled his shirt over his head, diving in for another kiss as he fiddled with Bing's zipper.

 _'I'm just a bachelor,_  
I'm looking for a partner,  
Someone who knows how to ride,  
Without even falling off...'

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

Anti had tried to make it easy on himself- he'd used much more lube than he thought was necessary, slathering it up and along the length of the silicone toy he'd summoned for himself, not even bothering with a condom. It was all plastic, wasn't it? Would an extra layer really make a difference?

But now he faced a dilemma. He was sure he'd prepared himself just fine- he could practically fit four fingers in and barely feel a sting, so he was definitely stretched enough to take whatever he wanted to shove up there. But he'd never actually... done anything like this before. He'd never put something that wasn't his own hand up there before- and he was barely paying attention to what his other lovers had done down there when they'd had sex in the past. He wasn't sure of exactly how to do this- but he couldn't fuck it up completely, could he? There were only so many ways to orient a dick.

He'd teased it against his hole a few times, trying to fool himself into thinking it was the real thing, just to see how it would work. But the dildo was a little more rigid, a lot less warm, and definitely less mobile than a real penis. Anti wasn't so sure he liked the feeling. He was still soft despite his best efforts, and even the wine he'd summoned and let sit by the corners of his room hadn't aided his state of arousal. It smelled a little like Dark, but... that wasn't helping as much as Anti had hoped.

He looked warily at the deep grey toy, observing the ridges and folds he'd imposed onto it, swallowing nervously. He felt it was something of a disgrace to even try and imitate Dark's cock, so he'd used his own as a model- to an alarming and slightly disturbing amount of success. Thick enough, long enough to hit his prostate- Anti may have taken some liberties with the design to make it more fulfilling, but no matter what he did to it, nothing could mask the fact that there was nobody attached to it.

Anti was starting to feel that perhaps it wasn't so much the sex of a person that attracted him to them, but the person itself. Because by all rights, this should have felt like Jameson- it was the same rough shape, the same length, and yet... yet even though he felt nothing for the mustached man, he'd still managed to turn Anti on more than a model of his cock could, it seemed.

He pushed it inside, and already there was a problem.

It wasn't pulsing- well, it wasn't actually even  _alive_ to begin with, and that was half the problem. It was stagnant...  _too_  immobile, only moving as a result of Anti's actions, and... God, he hated that. Even his fingers had felt better than this, and as he managed to work it further inside, he found the pit of dread in his gut sinking even more.

Sure, it filled him up just fine- he wasn't too loose for it, nor too tight- but it still wasn't right. When Dark fucked him, the blood pounding through his sex was enough to drive Anti over the edge- the fast-paced rhythmic beating of his heart, warming Anti from the inside out. But this damn thing- it seemed to suck away all of his warmth from within. It sat there, waiting to be moved, and even when Anti drew it out it did nothing for him.

He shoved it back in.

Okay, that was a little better- not by much, but he'd managed to graze past his prostate this time and it seemed that  _that_  was still in working order, at least. The first tingles of pleasure were spreading feebly through him, as if they were as uncertain as he was- and he reached his free hand down to brush against his own dick again, trying to tease a reaction.

Nothing.

He shoved harder- the base of the dildo hit his cheeks and he moaned a little at the feeling of being full up- full to the point where his body was pushing the foreign object out of him, slowly but surely. Yet it wasn't the same- it wasn't the same at  _all_. He'd already be gasping by the time Dark got this far, begging to be fucked harder, forcibly shoving himself back on the demon's cock until he felt his release growing closer- but he wasn't hard at all. He wasn't even aroused anymore, and the tingles that had briefly coursed through his system had faded out as quickly as they'd come.

He tried to thrust faster- tried to surprise himself with different angles, but he just felt clumsy and inadequate, and soon even the full feeling began to grow stale inside him. If possible, he felt even worse than before. It was a real shame because... well, he'd thought he'd been onto something here.

It was well past midnight when he managed to clean up- he'd had a shower because he was still sweaty from the ordeal, though nothing had really transpired to warrant it- and he was starting to smell of lube. He wasn't sure what he was going to try next- he chanced a trip to Chase's room again, but he heard music playing over barely disguised grunts and moans, and figured he really didn't want to know what that was about.

He was about to turn back, lock himself in his room and fucking  _cry_  away his tension at this point- but a familiar hand caught his shoulder. Schneep looked at him worriedly.

"Anti, are you feeling okay?" The doctor questioned, concern ringing through in his tone. "You look very pale- Gott, vhen vas ze last time you slept?"

"Yesterday," Anti managed to grunt out, rubbing at his weary eyes. "I've only been up for..."

He looked at the clock on the wall, feeling his heart sink.

"... nineteen hours," he sighed. "Right, I know, I should be more careful about how long I-"

"Have you had any luck vith ze sample?" Schneep probed, waving away his dismissal. And just like that, Anti's resolve snapped.

He didn't know what had caused it. Why he was suddenly so weak, why he felt the sudden need to cling to his brother's robes and cry his heart out- but he  _loathed_ the feeling. Schneep let him do it, patting his back softly as Anti's tears started to stain his clothes, faint traces of blood appearing and mixing with the salty water, seeping from his neck. It wasn't as though he could help it, but he still felt terrible for making such a mess- perhaps in his current state, he'd feel terrible about everything.

"Zhere zhere, Anti, es ist alright..." Schneep muttered, guiding Anti back to his room and setting him down on his bed. Anti had changed his sheets since his earlier attempts, but the room still stunk of lube and wine and bad decisions- all attacking Anti's senses at once, choking him with the atmosphere of negativity he'd been trapped in all day with no reprieve.

Schneep didn't understand-  _couldn't_  understand. He was normal, like the rest of them- he could probably get hard in minutes just thinking about his fiance, but even when Anti recalled so precisely how Dark's loving touch had felt on his skin, his body didn't react to the bait.

But to his credit, the doctor was trying. And Anti was grateful for that.

"You have not been drinking, have you?" Schneep asked, eyeing the wine bottles strewn about the room. "You know zat alcohol can impact upon your sexual performance, right?"

"I h-haven't been drinking..." Anti sniffed. "It w-was... to remind me of D-Dark..."

Schneep nodded in sorrow, seeming to understand what he'd been trying to accomplish. "Ah... I see. Chase told me zat you tried experimenting vith a toy, but... I gather zat it did not go so vell,"

"It was s-so fucking useless," Anti sobbed loudly, probably waking everyone in the house with his incessant noise- but he didn't have enough brain cells working right now to care all that much. "No m-matter how I tried, it... it didn't h-help,"

"Hush now, remember vhat I told you?" Schneep soothed. "Do not be discouraged if vone method is not right for you, zhere are plenty others-"

"I need to be  _touched_ , Schneep," Anti interrupted, his fists shaking. "I- I can't do it alone, I  _can't_..."

"Vell, zat ist a bit of a problem," Schneep muttered in response. "Ve need  _your_  ejaculate- I fear zat if you possess Jack again to do zis, it vill not have ze same results. Und yet ve cannot bring Dark to you- ach... if you vould like, I can ask mein Liebe to talk to ihn about giving you a voice recording, or... or a video, if er ist up to it. Does zat sound gut?"

A video... maybe. But Anti knew his memories were clearer- he could feel the ghost of Dark's touch, his kisses, his movements- and he could hear Dark's voice, even now. No, a video wouldn't help him if his memories had already failed. He needed... he needed  _Dark_. To be here, touching him and holding him and helping him through it.

He sighed in frustration. He knew that wasn't even possible right now, and he hated it. "N-no... it won't h-help anything, Schneep,"

"Zhere is only so much ich kann do, Bruder," Schneep huffed. "If it comes to it, I vill help you myself- I need zis sample, it could save lives," 

"No," Anti refused, biting his lip. "No- no, you're not involving yourself in this, I can't... I can't cheat on him again,"

Schneep scoffed in response. "Es ist hardly cheating, Anti- Ich bin ein doktor. Ve are required to touch our patients sometimes vhen something goes wrong- und zhere are several practices zat require it. Vould you consider it cheating if I had to examine Dark's prostate for signs of disease und it made his body react, hm?"

Anti shivered. "N-no..."

"Zhen zis is no different," Schneep muttered. "Trust mich, Anti, I vould not do zis for mein own pleasure. I am perfectly content vith mein Verlobter, but... if you truly have no other options, I vill not hesitate to sit hier und tease it out of you."

"I..." Anti swallowed. He didn't want this- he didn't want to do  _any_ of this. He didn't want Schneep to have to intervene, he didn't want to let anyone else aside from Dark close to him, ever again. But again... his choices were limited. He loved Dark, and he loved his baby- and he loved Jameson too. He wanted to help this thing finally come to an end, but... there had to be another way.

"No," Anti said again. "No, just g-give me more time, I... I can figure it out. I don't w-want..."

Schneep rested a hand on Anti's shoulder once more, pulling him in for a brief hug. "Now now, calm yourself... I vould never force myself onto you. Ve doctors require consent on zhese matters, you understand? I vould never touch you if you did not agree to be touched. You have my vord, Bruder..."

"I know, it's j-just..." Anti sniffed. "I'm running out of options, and..."

"Try something else," Schneep interceded kindly, squeezing Anti's arm to show that he cared. "I know zat you vill find a vay to combat zis. Try talking to someone vith experience- Chase, or Jameson perhaps. Even Kink may have answers, though I have still not forgiven ihn..."

"Kink...?" Anti asked quietly, a little hesitant. "I...  _why_?"

"Your problem may lie vith ze fact zat your body expects a dildo to feel like ein real Schwanz, even if your brain does not," Schneep sighed. "I vould suggest going for something a little more... exotic. Something zat ist not trying so hard to be a penis, if you vill,"

Anti swallowed once more. "Like... like what? I don't..."

"I do not know, Anti," Schneep muttered. "Ich bin sure zat Kink vould know just vhat to use in your case- but if I cannot be of any more service to you presently, I vill take my leave. Rest, Anti- do not let zis ordeal keep you up at night,"

He was about to respond, but Anti knew that Schneep was right. Going without sleep wouldn't help this at all- he was just thankful that he was powerful enough to be able to keep his house stable while he rested. Until recently, Anti hadn't even known that what his fellow egos made would usually fade out if they took so much as a nap.

Huh. He guessed being popular in the Groundlands had its perks.

He was knocked out as soon as Schneep closed his door.

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"You're beautiful,"

Necro looked up at his lover, blinking softly at the compliment. He was used to receiving them, used to flushing out of habit rather than desire- but before he could brush the words aside, something inside him stopped.

_'No... all words... are meaningful...'_

Part of Necro doubted it- they were the same words that he always heard, and there were only so many times he could feel genuinely affected by them before they became useless. What point was there in accepting the same old compliments when he didn't even feel that they were true?

_'Let's... ask him... how, then,"_

"How?" Necro voiced quietly, tilting his head and resting it again on President's chest. "Tell me... how I'm beautiful,"

"Your eyes are bright and shiny like mountain springs- and you have very pretty hair. I love the way it frames your cheeks, and how it curls around my fingers..."

Necro felt himself shudder- though not because he was uncomfortable. That reasoning... well, it was more reasoning than Yan usually gave for his compliments. The way those lips twitched up as Necro stared, the twinkling of the brown eye... he could tell that Yan was behind it. But he must have had some help- some help, Necro might add, that completely changed his words from simple to flattering.

Usually, Marvin didn't feel like Yan was telling him the truth. Why would he believe someone telling him he was beautiful, when all he saw in the mirror was a mess? But this time... he'd seen his own eyes before, and... yeah, they were shiny enough. Usually because of the tears in his eyes- but at least he could understand some of the reasoning behind Yan's incessant need to call him pretty.

Hearing that... it really did make him feel pretty. He could get used to a feeling like this.

"Thank you..." Necro sighed fondly. "I think you're very sweet to say that about me, Presi..."

"I... love you?" President mumbled, stuttering as if he'd tried to stop himself halfway through his sentence. "I... forgive President if that was too sudden. He is not entirely in control of his own thoughts."

Necro swallowed, meeting the other fusion's eyes. Perhaps this was something they should leave to their counterparts to determine- after all, they hadn't yet set any boundaries- they'd only sat together, chatting for a small while. The doctors hadn't even come back to fetch them quite yet.

"We should let them figure this out," Necro proposed. President nodded, already starting to split apart- and in a few moments Necro was sitting in the laps of his two loves, who both looked mildly ashamed at what they'd let slip.

Necro allowed himself to unfuse also.

"It's... weird," Yan spoke aloud, fingers quickly finding and entwining with Marvin's own. "To think about. When we're President, we... we feel a little bit of attraction to the two of you alone, but when you're Necro it just feels the same as... well, the same as us,"

"The Host states that it is because there is mutual attraction between the pair," Host explained. "The Host, as part of President, is attracted to Robbie- and Yandereplier is attracted to Marin. The Host finds it only fitting that their fusions get along so well, and does not mind the use of terms of adoration between them,"

Host turned to face Marvin, inclining his head. "The Host confirms that Yandereplier did mean everything that he said while President was talking. Though he used some of The Host's extensive vocabulary to articulate it properly,"

Yan blushed a little. "I... uh, yeah, I meant all of it. I... don't know why I can't come up with these things alone, but... but I'll try harder in the future. I... don't think I've seen you light up so much in months,"

Marvin smiled, leaning forward and hugging his boyfriend tightly, perhaps a little warmer than they'd let themselves become recently. "Thank you," he mumbled again, pressing a kiss to Yan's cheek. "It made me happy to hear it."

"I think... that it makes... sense that our... fusions are... in love," Robbie sounded out, words seeming a little more fast paced than usual. Was that a side effect of fusing with Marvin? "I think... they will be... happy together,"

Marvin breathed out slowly, knowing that all eyes were now on him. "I... guess it's fine. I don't have anything against it, anyway. Might be a little weird to get used to, but... well, I've had weirder."

Yan smiled, remembering in particular the one time he'd convinced Marvin to have sex with him in a tree. It had been a little weird- and possibly a little terrifying, but it had all been worth it. "I'm all for it- any way that I can express my love for Senpai is fine by me,"

Host's eye twitched beneath his blindfold. He'd have to curb the use of that word from Yan's vocabulary soon- it simply made Marvin a little too uncomfortable with their relationship. It wasn't hard to spot- Marvin's face always seemed to fall whenever it was spoken, regardless of whether he was happy or not.

"The Host is ready to fuse again," Host muttered, adjusting himself a little in his seat. Damage control was something best started right away, he found

"Wait..." Robbie interrupted, leaning in and giving Host a soft peck on the lips, smiling as he pulled away. Host's cheeks had pinked up again at the embrace- and his fingers reached to brush against his lips, unable to keep the satisfied smirk away from his face.

"The Host wonders what that was for," Host mused, flushing a little deeper as Marvin snorted into his palm. He was just glad that this wasn't an awkward experience for the other two- if it was strange to see each other being affectionate, after all, it would be stranger to be part of that affection.

"I wanted to... kiss you alone... one more time," Robbie laughed slowly. "Before... fusing again..."

Yan tapped Marvin's shoulder, drawing the magician's attention back to him. He was pouting as he pointed towards his lips, beckoning Marvin closer- and it wasn't hard to see what he wanted.

"Kiss for good luck?" Yan begged.

Marvin was glad to comply.

Host's fingers entwined with Yan's once more, just as Robbie slung an arm around Marvin- and before they knew it, they were gone. Necro had President pinned softly to the couch, kissing him sweetly, letting his hands trail across the other fusion's chest as they searched for pressure points. President wrapped his hands in Necro's thick hair, pulling him deeper- and they'd have stayed that way a little longer if the door hadn't opened, betraying them and their loving embrace.

"If ve vere gone any longer zhey vouldn't be clothed," Schneep joked, closing the door again after his fiance. Doc sent the two fusions a knowing smile as they looked up at the doctors, mildly annoyed at being interrupted.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Doc asked.

"Of course," President agreed, twirling a green/purple lock of hair between his fingertips. "President was enjoying himself quite thoroughly before the doctors intruded on his moment with Necromancer,"

"Ja, I could see zat," Schneep smirked. "Vorry not- ve vill be out of your hair in no time. Zhen you are free to do vhatever you vant- as long as you all give consent, mind you."

Necro shared a wary glance with President. They hadn't talked about that side of a relationship yet- and perhaps, they wouldn't get around to anything sexual together. While the respective couples that made up their love were agreeing to involve themselves in this romantic affair, both fusions knew that their relationships weren't open. Kissing and touching- that was seemingly okay.

Maybe not anything that followed those first two bases.

"I wouldn't recommend jumping right into a sexual relationship," Doc reasoned. "Focus on bettering your romantic one first. Actually, avoiding sexual relations might be best in any case- it could create unwarranted attachment to the other person in your fusion. I would only suggest it if there was a major issue relating to it you wanted to curb- and even if there is, there are more important things to worry about before you even think of it,"

"We weren't... planning on it, Doc," Necro muttered, pink in the face. President had bright red cheeks to match.

"Good," Doc nodded. "At least when you're fused you have some sense. We're back here to lay down some ground rules- firstly, don't force each other into anything. That goes for the two of you in a single fusion as well as the two of you as wholes. Trust is important, and betraying that trust will only result in pain for both parties,"

"I won't," Necro agreed. President nodded in response, though he didn't speak a word.

Doc smiled at the pair. "Secondly- you four decide on your own terms about what you're going to tell the others while you're fused. They may ask personal and invasive questions- and it's best to talk to each other beforehand to avoid things getting misconstrued."

Both fusions shared a glance. "Okay," President said with a shrug. Necro smiled in agreement.

"Thirdly- you can't stay like this forever. This isn't about making a new, better relationship- this is about fixing what you already have. It's about sharing tips and lessons between you so that you can understand how to make each other happier. Keeping up any sort of relationship as part of a fusion is difficult- and I don't want to see you two arguing between yourselves. At the first sign of an internal disagreement, you are to split. No ifs, ands, or buts."

President sighed dejectedly. "Understood,"

Necro smiled softly, holding his waist still as he pressed a light kiss to the exposed tip of President's nose. The older fusion smiled.

"I think zat vill be all," Schneep announced. "I have nothing to add- und it might be best to leave zhem before zhey decide to continue in front of us,"

Doc snorted, shooting the fusions one more knowing grin. "Heavens forbid it, Darling... I trust you two can determine your own sleeping arrangements?"

"Of course," Necro scoffed. "Who... do you think... we are?"

Doc laughed, deciding not to respond to that question. "Then we'll go- try not to be too loud in here,"

As they left, Necro rolled his milky eyes. "Right. Where were... we?"

President leaned forward to capture Necro's lips in his own, bringing the other fusion close until he was sitting in President's lap. And Necro kissed him back with passion, passion that part of President had never seen. The Host hadn't been accosted like this since the doctor, but... but he found it was a nice change.

But no amount of exciting, new fusion behaviour could distract him from the one he truly needed. They may have been part of a different couple now, but Host and Robbie still loved each other dearly. And it was the same love shared between Marvin and Yan. Truly, what had the doctor been so afraid of?

Perhaps the fusions should have heeded their words a lot more carefully, in retrospect.


	32. Chapter 31

**~Void~**

It was black and oddly-shaped- a grooved surface that curved as if it were a flexing bicep, yet it was small enough that Anti doubted it would do much for him. It was smaller than the dildo- but Kink had sworn by it, and considering the amount of time that man spent with something up his ass, Anti felt that he could probably trust Kink's opinion.

But at the same time, he was nervous. There were so many ways he could mess this up- the damn toy itself had branches to it, all three of them shiny and dark and  _smooth_. Anti hadn't used anything like this before.

That, it seemed, was what had drawn him to it in the first place.

Kink had shown him a large selection of toys upon entering his room- some were just ordinary dildos, some looked like ridged and ribbed rods of torture- there were a number of egg-shaped  _things_  that Anti didn't trust putting anywhere near his ass, and there was, of course, a variety of different gags.

Really, Anti could choke himself on his own, if he  _wanted_ to. But he seemingly couldn't fuck himself- and that was the issue he felt was the most important to address here. He decided not to wander far from the dildos, though he knew he'd need something a little less vanilla if he was going to get off tonight. It was obvious to him, at least, that half of the items on display would do nothing to help his case at all.

He hadn't wanted it to come to this- he'd tried alone again this morning when he'd woken up. He'd used the dildo once more, this time taking Chase's advice and playing with it a little- though the strange foreplay only made him flush out of embarrassment. Oh, if Dark could see him now... and using his knife didn't have the desired effect at all. He didn't cut deep- no, it was the little slits that turned him on, but today they only stung him with mixed feelings of shame and vague arousal.

He'd turned up at Halter's place, twiddling his thumbs, asking nervously if he could speak to Kinkiplier- deciding that he'd rather lose his dignity than have to tell Dark that he cheated again. The look on Septiplier's face was incredulous, and a few of the other Ipliers sent him shocked glances- but Anti had the feeling they were misconstruing the situation in their minds. They probably thought he was going to Kink for sex, considering what had been circulating about Jameson- and Anti hated that they were almost justified in that reaction.

Heck if he was explaining that the real reason he was here was to pick up a toy so that he could masturbate properly, though. Let them believe he was a slut- at least then, they wouldn't doubt his ability to get it up.

Perhaps the worst part of it all was that Kink was so fast at analysing exactly what Anti's problem was. It seemed he'd had barely two moments of awkward staring before Kink was pressing the damn thing into his hands, giving him instructions on how to use it, and how to clean it afterwards. Anti hadn't even known what it was until he'd asked, and by that point Kink was already talking about proper storage. The Iplier regarded him curiously- almost as if Anti was expected to know all about this already.

"It's a vibrating prostate massager," Kink explained, his words a little indecipherable through that damn ball gag- but Anti could piece it together well enough. "Feels nothing like a dick- I think you'll find it useful."

"But it's... weird," Anti muttered, ears still red, still ashamed at the fact that he'd had to come here to begin with. "Which... which part goes in?"

"The longest one," Kink replied, gesturing to the strange bicep-like rod protruding from what must have been the base. "The other arms are there to stop it getting stuck inside- but they've been adapted in the design so that they can also provide pleasure. It should work alright, but if you run into any problems, it might be out of power- just plug it into a wall socket. You do have electricity, right?"

"Yeah," Anti replied breathlessly, turning the thing over in his hands. This... who the hell had thought of creating whatever this was? It looked more like a device of torture than one of pleasure. It looked as though it could actually take somebody's eye out.

"Don't be afraid of it- it's going to be a great experience, trust me," Kink grinned knowingly.

Anti really didn't want to think about it. But he thanked the other ego begrudgingly and left, shoving the strangely shaped toy under his shirt as he walked past the others.

Though he felt like his shirt might as well have been see-through, just judging by their expressions.

He ventured back to his room without stopping- not even to acknowledge the strangely familiar newcomers he'd seen milling in the hallway. He'd deal with that situation later- for now, he needed this sample. He needed to do this, for Dark's sake. For his  _baby_ 's sake. He didn't know if he'd be able to forgive himself if either of them had an experience like Jameson's.

He closed his door, letting out a long breath of relief as he let the feeling of not being caught out embrace him. He didn't want to have to explain any of this to the others- he didn't even really understand it himself. But now, he was alone, and he could take a few moments to figure this out.

_Alone, at last..._

"Darling?"

Anti couldn't lie- before he registered that the voice he heard was his lover's, he was about ready to shit himself with fright. But thankfully, after the shock died down, he was able to stop- stop, and turn, and see none other than Dark standing in his mirror, smiling at him. Anti just about melted.

"D-Darky?" He stuttered, striding over to the mirror and dumping his toy discreetly on his bed, reaching out his hand hesitantly. "Is that... really you?"

Dark was in his male form still, his hands covering his bump modestly as Anti's fingers brushed against the cool glass of the mirror. They left fingerprints on the otherwise clear image- but Dark certainly seemed very real. And by coming closer, Anti could see that he wasn't alone.

Amy and Mark were also there- God, he hoped they hadn't seen the vibrator- and they were sitting on the edge of Dark's bed, watching him thoughtfully. Anti swallowed- this was surreal. Goddamn, if he was hallucinating all of this, he needed a nice fuck even more than he'd thought he did.

"Of course," Dark replied, reaching through, and- and his hand didn't even falter. His cool skin brushed against Anti's cheek as he cupped the side of his face, pressing gently. The mirror was nothing to him, but... but Anti couldn't pass it. It was a barrier, transparent as it was- and he met Dark's eyes questioningly.

"How come you can-?"

"Demons have a way with reflective surfaces," Dark mused, almost as if he knew what Anti was about to say. "It is how we travel from place to place, how I change from physical to immaterial... It is how I arrived here, in the Groundlands."

Anti swallowed. "But- why don't you just come back here? You can walk through it, can't you?"

Dark sighed, letting his hand drop. "I... normally, yes. But our child... I don't believe she possesses the same ability. We are, after all, different forces- and demons do not reproduce the same way humans do. I fear she would be left behind- and the doctor agrees with me,"

Mark stood- a little too stiffly for Anti's liking. But as he walked over, striding as if he had a purpose, Anti realised- it wasn't really Mark, was it?

"Doc?" Anti murmured. He felt a little nervous around the man, knowing that Schneep had definitely made him a sexual invitation the night before- but Doc just smiled warmly at him. He straightened his shoulders, shaking out his limbs as if he'd been immobile for a long while.

"Good afternoon, Anti," he spoke. "I've just spoken with Dark about your... your struggle. I hope you don't mind, but- we'd devised a plan. I'll leave him to explain it to you- but I must impress upon you the importance of receiving this sample sooner rather than later. Though he seems fine today, he most certainly wasn't the day before- and if it's come about because of your relations, it would be best to neutralise any threat as soon as possible,"

Anti huffed a little sigh- Dark knew.  _Goddamn_... he was certain that the demon wouldn't hold it against him. He knew Dark would be supportive of him, but... but he also knew that the demon probably wouldn't take him seriously about it. Anti wasn't looking forward to being babied again, however unintentional it would be.

"Okay," Anti muttered in response, seeing that they were waiting for him to continue. "I... sure. You're not... you're not mad about Schneep, right?"

Doc shook his head- and Anti let out a very audible sigh of relief. "No- of course not. I was the one who suggested it to him in the first place, so you don't need to feel like it was any fault of your own. I would have let him do it for the sake of this study, Anti- I don't believe you understand how important this really is."

Anti swallowed. Dark met his eyes, and they were concerned- light purple and shining with excess fluid, almost as if he were close to tears.

Wow... just what had they talked about to have Dark in such a state?

Doc tsked softly, shaking his head. "Okay, I'm going to leave you two alone. Dark, please try not to exert yourself- and make sure that you keep your womb on this side of the mirror at all times."

Dark nodded wordlessly, hand trailing back to link his fingers with Anti's. The glitch bit his lip.

"Anti," Doc continued, meeting his eyes with a sort of grim determination. "If something happens- I will be waiting in my room. I'm trusting you two with this- so please don't hesitate to fetch me if something goes wrong. Contractions, or bleeding- anything that could be cause for concern. I want you to find me, no matter how clothed you are."

Wait- what the heck was  _that_ supposed to mean?

"You have our word, doctor," Dark murmured, sending Anti what was meant to be a reassuring smile. But he had creases around his eyes, and his bags were darker than usual- and even the curve of his lips seemed flatter than before. Anti was about to speak up about it, but Dark shot him a warning look.

"Please, Dear," Dark muttered. "I had to beg for this- just behave, and we'll have the sample in no time, alright?"

Part of Anti wished that meant what he thought it did- but the other part was a little downtrodden about it. He had his new (and still mildly terrifying) vibrator, after all- and if Dark was just going to be here and do the work for him, he'd never learn how to do it alone.

But of course he wanted to be with Dark- he was always happy to spend more time with him, and he didn't want to turn him down. But... Anti felt a little lost here.  _Divided_.

"I'll be downstairs- um... I'll try not to listen in, but send me a holler if you need me," Amy offered, standing from her place on the bed as Dr. Iplier left the room in Mark's body. "I... okay, here,"

She wandered out of Anti's view for a moment, bringing over the wooden chair that had been sitting in the corner of the room for the past few nights. She set it down so that the back of the chair was leaning against the mirror, gesturing for Dark to sit down. He sent her a grateful smile.

"You're too kind, Amy," Dark thanked her, nodding to her as she left the room. The door closed behind her with a soft squeak.

"What's this about?" Anti asked, as soon as he was sure they were alone. Dark looked at the chair for a moment, pondering what to do- before sighing to himself.

"This position might be a little painful," Dark muttered to himself, swinging one leg over the chair so that he was straddling it, his stomach pressed against the back of the structure and his feet planted on either side of it. He inched as close as he could manage, letting his arms rest over the top of the chair- and Anti grasped them in his own, shaking hands. Dark was so close, yet... so far at the same time. It just wasn't the same as having him really here.

"Forgive me, Darling," Dark murmured, thumbs running over Anti's knuckles. "For not explaining sooner- the doctor told me that you were having troubles, and we figured that I might be able to help you,"

Anti let out a heavy sigh, his heart sinking a little just at the prospect of speaking his mind. But he couldn't remain silent forever- Dark had the right to know about what was happening. And Anti had the right to do what he wanted to with his own body.

"I... I appreciate it, really," Anti swallowed. "But... but I really wanted to try it on my own. I mean- being with you is great, it's really- really fucking amazing, but... if I can't do something like this alone, I..."

Dark tittered softly. "Darling, no- I won't think any less of you for this," he sympathised, smiling reassuringly. "Truthfully, I knew you'd react this way... you've always been so prideful, and determined... I knew that you wouldn't want this to happen. I won't force it on you,"

Anti blinked, confused. "But then- but why did you-?"

Dark let out a small laugh, gesturing for Anti to kneel so that they were at eye level. Anti obliged, hands planted on the wall beside the mirror as he held himself in place. It was disorienting- how Dark was able to pass through the surface of the mirror, but Anti was isolated on the other side. The demon trailed his fingers through Anti's hair fondly.

"I know you like it when I watch you, Dear," Dark admitted. "And that's how I want to help you tonight. I'll be here if you want me to be- and I'd love to see what you can do to yourself when you really set your mind to it,"

Anti shivered in anticipation, because  _damn_ \- that sounded hot. He really did like it when Dark was there, watching him- though usually the action wasn't sexual. He just really appreciated having Dark's undivided attention, just because the demon liked to see him. He supposed that Dark must have gleaned that particular memory from his mind once, just waiting for a chance to bring it up... the sneaky bastard.

And Dark's plan was inherently flawless- Anti could try to make himself orgasm alone, just knowing that Dark was watching him- because touching and talking were two very different interactions. And if Anti could control the touching part- he'd be happy enough with that. He'd never be truly free of Dark's voice in his mind, anyway.

He breathed slowly out, coming to a conclusion. "Okay," he sighed in agreement, meeting Dark's eyes with a rejuvenated smile. "That sounds... good. But there's- you see, I went to Kink for some help, and I don't really... know how to use this thing,"

Dark let Anti's hands go as the glitch stood, walking over to his bed and picking up the discarded toy. It seemed he'd become desensitised to it before, but now it felt even stranger in his hands, fresh panic pooling in his gut at the thought of using it for the first time with Dark watching him. He just didn't want to seem like a fool in front of the man he loved.

But the demon only raised an eyebrow at the object, meeting Anti's eyes with a curious look. "He gave you a prostate stimulator?"

"Yeah- yeah, something like that," Anti admitted, a little embarrassed that even the likes of Dark seemed to know what this was. "You're not... you're not familiar with these sorts of things, are you?"

Dark leaned forward cautiously in his seat, giving a barely noticeable nod at the question. "Perhaps,"

Anti was just a little gobsmacked- Dark just hadn't seemed the type to use sex toys. Not when his response to desire had always seemed to be to find Wilford and use him to sate his need for company. But Dark wouldn't say yes to something like that without it being true- he was many things, but he'd never lie to Anti.

He just... sometimes withheld the complete truth.

At Anti's incredulous expression, Dark let his lips twist into a smirk. "Did you not expect that answer?"

"No," Anti muttered, shaking his head. "It's... strange to wrap my head around. You like sex with people, right? You've always been about sex with people,"

Dark shrugged once more. "Not always. When your only company is Wilford and a horde of rogue seductresses... well, you learn rather quickly how to do these things on your own. There are certain moments when you cannot bear to face another being, yet you need the release. Trust me, Dear- I understand what you're feeling,"

"But..." Anti swallowed. "But when did you even...?"

"Less often, as of late," Dark replied smoothly, not even perturbed about sharing the details of his sex life outside of Anti. "Much less often- I don't believe I've touched one in easily a year. But in the moments when I longed for you..."

Dark heaved a little sigh. "Much more often than I'd normally care to admit. But I trust you, Anti- and I'd like to believe that you trust me with this matter just as much,"

"I trust you," Anti promised without hesitation. "Of course I do, I just... didn't want to make it weird. I'm glad I didn't."

Dark smiled. "Anti, dear... come closer,"

Dark cupped his cheek softly, bringing him closer until his nose was touching the surface of the mirror. Anti couldn't go any further- but Dark leaned in to meet him, and then they were kissing. It was undoubtedly strange- and even stranger when Anti felt his forehead press against the chilled glass, Dark's lips still surrounding his own. They pulled apart after a few moments, and Anti licked his lips. His warm breath was fogging up the mirror, breaking the illusion- and for a moment, Dark wasn't there.

Damn... sometimes Anti knew when he was going crazy. But this entire scenario was a little too ludicrous to have imagined up on his own. Still- Dark's absence was unnerving him more than a little bit. He'd never seen the demon just  _disappear_  this easily.

But then the fog cleared, and Dark's face was still there- smiling at him with lazily lidded eyes. He hadn't moved a muscle, after all.

"I've heard that when a man fogs up your glasses, he's a keeper," Anti joked lightly, laughing at his own insecurity. For a moment, he almost believed he'd hallucinated this whole thing. Dark chuckled in response, brushing his fingers against Anti's cheek once more.

"Then I'd best not be letting you go," Dark replied teasingly. "You managed to fog up nearly the whole mirror... I'm impressed,"

Anti's heart swelled at what he assumed was a compliment. "Thanks, Darky,"

Dark sighed, letting his hand drop once more. "Dear, I... I don't mean to rush you into this, but- well, some of the doctor's concerns seemed rather serious. We should probably start, so that we can give him the sample before night falls,"

Anti nodded, still a little nervous about using the vibrator, but finding that he wasn't so much terrified anymore. He could do this- sure, it might be messy and a little awkward, but Dark was here with him. He wouldn't judge- and he had experience (Anti still wasn't over that admission), and he wanted to help Anti through this.

Anti wasn't just going to throw that dedication away.

He made quick work of tugging down his jeans and tossing them aside, only faltering when Dark's fingers brushed against his arm- and then the demon was pulling him closer, pressing him against the mirror, brushing his hands up and down Anti's thighs. Anti swallowed as he felt his length start to harden for the first time in what felt like days- but he reluctantly distanced himself from the teasing touches of his lover, stepping back and letting out a deep breath.

"At least... 'least I know it still works," Anti breathed. "But no more touching- I want to be able to do it alone, o-okay?"

Dark retracted his hands, perching them back on top of the chair as he smiled apologetically at Anti from his seat. "Okay," Dark agreed. "I'll keep my hands to myself, but... well, don't expect me to hold back my words in the same manner,"

Anti flushed as he shimmied his boxers down, feeling a lot less nervous than before- Dark seemed to be enjoying the show, if nothing else, and Anti could have sworn that his thighs were quivering a little behind that sheen of glass. The idea of Dark finding pleasure in watching Anti do something like this... it was arousing in itself, and Anti wondered for a fleeting moment if Dark was going to touch himself while he observed.

He wouldn't mind that visual, honestly. He'd never seen Dark actually get himself off before- the only times he'd even seen the demon aroused had been when they were doing this together, and both tended to get preoccupied quickly with pleasing the other over themselves.

And yet, it probably wouldn't happen- Dark's trousers would be a hassle to remove in that position, and Anti didn't want him hurting his back getting up and down from his seat. Perhaps another day, when Dark wasn't so inhibited. Perhaps...

Dark licked his lips subconsciously, his deep purple irises darkening as Anti kicked his underwear aside, letting it all hang free... For the first time in what must have been two weeks at this point, it was just the two of them. Alone. Without the other egos, or Seán- and Dark felt truly at ease. He didn't have to worry about the consent of two individuals today- and perhaps, they could use this mirror for more in the future. It would certainly be beneficial if Anti didn't need to continue possessing Seán's body to spend time with him, anyway...

"Mh... take that shirt off, Dear- it's not like it's hiding anything,"

Anti let out a little snort, moving to resume his sitting position. "It's clearly hidin' something you want to see, I know your game..."

But he lifted it over his head anyway, setting it a little carelessly upon the rest of his clothes- it was a strange feeling, certainly. He'd never had to do all of this himself while Dark just...  _observed_. And yet, having the demon here was definitely helping him relax. He didn't know if it was the gentle touches or simply his presence, but Anti felt more comfortable than he'd managed to get since that damn shower- and well, tonight certainly seemed to be promising.

He'd get this sample before tomorrow- he'd get it, even if his attempts to stimulate himself failed. Because Dark was here, and Anti was certain that the demon wouldn't mind helping him out with a more hands-on method, if it came to that.

And while it was reassuring to know this, Anti was still going to try his damn hardest to do it without resorting to plan B.

Dark's satisfied smirk widened as he regarded Anti's body closely- it was ever so slightly different to Seán's, though at first glance they were similar. Anti had a little less facial hair, he was less muscular- and he was less prudent about trimming back the hairs on his groin. His arms were marred with scars that were invisible to the naked eye, that you wouldn't notice unless you felt them yourself- and he was overall... paler.

Dark loved every part of him with all of his heart.

"That's better..."

As Anti lowered himself to the ground, bringing his lube and a few condoms with him, he cocked his head to one side. Dark raised an eyebrow in response, wondering what he'd said to cause that reaction.

"You just gonna order me around all night?" Anti asked, though he didn't sound at all mad. Dark didn't really know what to make of it- he seemed... curious, that's all. The demon shrugged in return.

"Would you like me to?"

They didn't usually mess around with power play- they didn't mess around with anything much, really. Until recently, sex had just been sex, after all- just Dark and Anti enjoying the intimacy without even sparing a thought for other methods of pleasure-giving. They changed it up enough for it to remain exciting, sure- and Anti was quite versatile with what positions he liked. But they'd never really delved into more than the most basic levels of intimacy you could achieve with two bodies.

Anti's cheeks flushed, and Dark let out a little chuckle of mirth when his lover gave him a tiny nod. Was he embarrassed about liking the idea of being told what to do? Plenty of people did- even the other egos weren't shy about their respective little bedroom quirks. But this didn't have to become a staple for them, if Anti didn't want it. Perhaps he just wanted to try it on.

"Y-yeah, maybe, I... I just feel better knowing that even though I'm here and it's just me doing the touching, I'm... not alone, you know?"

Dark smiled reassuringly as Anti sat cross-legged in front of him, sitting a little far back so that Dark could see him from his elevated viewpoint. The poor glitch looked stressed enough about this- when Dark first saw him through the mirror, he'd felt his heart sink. Those faded green locks were matted with sweat, he had bags under his eyes- and the skin of his arms looked like it had just freshly healed over. Red, and blotchy, and a little uneven- but it seemed that Anti was just fine now. Dark had the feeling that those wounds weren't from an intent to punish himself, but rather the result of Anti trying to arouse himself another way.

A way that evidently, hadn't worked very well.

"I know," Dark agreed, pushing Anti's desire for knife-play to the other side of his mind. He was... divided, on this matter. Part of him wouldn't mind accommodating to Anti's pain kink, but the other... well, the other had had some bad experiences with injuries during sex. Dark didn't really want to associate Anti with most of his old sexual partners. He was... special.  _Better_.

Maybe it was because Dark's heart was beating for him, when it was fighting with everyone else for dominance and power. Maybe...

He shook his head. "In that case... please, Dear, fetch a pillow. You'll hurt yourself lying on the ground like that,"

"I can sit on the bed if you're worried," Anti muttered, biting his lip. "I just kind of... set up down here because that's where I was,"

"Yes," Dark nodded. "Get up on the bed- you'll be comfortable, and I'll have an... interesting view,"

"You dirty old man," Anti teased, clambering to his feet and sitting himself on his bed, taking the rest of his things with him. The distance was causing his heart to ache ever so slightly, because all his body wanted to do was sit there and let Dark hold him, but... but Anti knew that this experience would be a good one. He just had to stick with it until the longing paid off.

Dark let out a little laugh at Anti's statement, resting his chin upon his chair. "Well, when you put it like that, I suppose I cannot argue..."

"It's okay, though," Anti smiled. "I like you,"

Dark's lips twitched in return. "I like you as well, Darling. Very much,"

"I'm glad to hear it," Anti grinned.

Dark let out a little snort. "Hurry, Dear, hurry- our time is short. I'd love to sit here and chat, but we'll have time for that later."

Anti sighed a little reluctantly. "Right, right..."

He wriggled back on the bed, his sheets bunching a little behind him- but he wasn't worried about keeping it tidy in here anymore. He felt exposed- though it was less obvious now that Dark was here, somehow. He'd felt so ridiculous the day before, just doing exactly the same thing- and yet the idea that Dark was watching him wasn't as intimidating as he'd feared it would be.

"You'll need more lube," Dark murmured softly as he watched Anti fumble with the bottle, uncapping it again when the message reached his ears.

"Thanks," Anti replied quietly, knowing that he was a little distracted from his reality right now. His mind was still spinning with the very notion that this entire situation was happening, and he was so detached that he dripped rather a lot of lube onto the sheets.

Anti hadn't even bothered to change them since yesterday.

"Relax," Dark soothed, seeing Anti's fingers begin to tremble. "It's true that the stakes are high on this matter, but... but it's really just sex, Anti. You've done this before, you have nothing to be nervous about,"

"This... it's new, Dark, that's all," Anti breathed, slipping two fingers inside and wincing a little at the initial pain. He hadn't remained as loose as he might have liked from the dildo this morning, but he was definitely stretched enough that it would be easy work to prepare himself again.

"Not as new as you might think," Dark countered. "It's the same principle- it's still putting something inside you. That's not entirely new for you, Dear, I would know."

"Yes, you would..." Anti sighed, bringing his knees up so that he was lying on the bed. It would be easier to reach, this way.

"Spread," Dark commanded softly, not knowing if Anti wanted him to play aggressive with this- he was perfectly capable of it, of course. His previous partners had definitely met that side of him before, but even when they'd been enemies... Anti was different. Perhaps they'd discuss it later- perhaps, they'd talk about new ways to spice up their sex life, even if they couldn't really do penetration anymore.

And after what he'd spoken to the doctor about, Dark feared that this might have to be their last sexual interaction for a long while...

Anti complied with the request- he inched backwards again, letting his head rest on the bed as he bent his knees and spread them wide. He was practically half-hard now, and his legs were shaking a little with tension as he pressed his fingers deeper inside, stretching out what he could reach. Dark's groin tightened and he let out a little hiss of discomfort, already a little restricted just from sitting this way- but the growing length in his trousers certainly wasn't helping. 

He briefly considered changing his privates to those of a woman's again, but decided against it. No, it would be easier to clean himself up if he remained male. He'd rather just ruin a pair of boxers than worry about soaking through several layers, anyway...

"You've used one of these before?" Anti asked again, picking up the toy after finishing his prep. He clumsily slipped a condom onto it- Dark wondered where he'd picked that up, actually- and started to lather it with lube while he waited for Dark's response.

Dark bit his lip, feeling his thigh muscles starting to clench in response to the view before him. If he wasn't pregnant, he'd relish in taking Anti right there, but... well, the circumstances wouldn't allow for it. He could dream, though.  _Oh_ , he could dream...

"Not a prostate massager," Dark uttered when he broke out of his little daydream. He'd been thinking back to their first time trying anal sex, how careful they were, how Anti's surprised little gasps and shrieks of pleasure had carried through the walls... neither had really cared if they were heard at the time. It wasn't as though anyone else in the manor was polite enough to hold back their incessant noises, after all.

"Why?" Anti voiced curiously. "There are other kinds?"

"Anti, Dear, this body doesn't have a prostate," Dark smiled, watching carefully as Anti teased the tip of the toy against his hole. He'd never had a view like this before- from eye-level as Anti was being stretched only a little by the girth of the vibrator.

"Oh..." Anti murmured. "How come?"

"Females don't have them," Dark explained, realising that Anti didn't really know much about anatomy. He'd have to get the doctors to point out the obvious parts, as Dark was no expert. He'd come from a time where people still believed that blood was the main carrier of genetic information, after all.

" _Oh_ ," Anti said again, this time with a little more understanding. "That makes s-sense, oh  _God_..."

Dark frowned a little. That wasn't a cry of pleasure- more a noise of indignation.

"What is the matter, Darling?" He asked, but Anti didn't make to pull the toy out. He sighed, tilting his head back again in annoyance.

"This doesn't feel right,"

Dark bit his lip once more. He didn't want to pressure Anti into this- he didn't want Anti to feel like he was controlling him again after how it had ended last time. Anti had been so insistent on doing this himself, and Dark didn't want to intervene too early. The last thing he needed was to feel incompetent, right now...

"You can stop if you want to," Dark reminded, deciding that he should probably speak up. Anti had been holding the toy there for over a minute now, seemingly trying to determine the best approach. Dark couldn't quite see his face- but he heard a grunt as Anti proceeded to press deeper.

The base of the toy hit his cheeks, and he panted softly as if he were already out of breath. But he couldn't be- Dark had seen him last for so much longer while they were together. And even his dick was calming itself, sitting barely even flushed against his thigh.

Anti whined lowly from his throat. "I can't... I'll never be able to do this, will I?"

Dark sighed hesitantly. "Well... I don't mean to push you or make you uncomfortable if you don't want to do it, but... but you could turn it on and see if that helps."

Anti nodded with grim determination, fumbling a little with the toy as he tried to find the button. And all of a sudden, a buzzing sound filled the air.

Anti gave a loud yelp, turning the toy back off and jolting in place- the toy seemed to sink further inside of him, but he appeared too distracted to care all that much. He sat in a frenzy with wild eyes, staring at Dark for some kind of explanation- though Dark didn't know just what had worried him so.

"I- wh- It's so l-loud?!" Anti sounded. "It's f-fucking intense,  _ah_..."

Anti's features scrunched up in pain and he lowered his body reluctantly. It seemed that with the toy inside him, the position he'd been sitting in wasn't so great for his insides.

Dark's heart lurched in sympathy. "Oh dear... is it too much for you to take at once, as well?"

"As well?" Anti panted, trying to calm himself down from his mild state of shock.

"As well," Dark affirmed. "Though I've never put a vibrator up my rear end before, I certainly know that I can't handle direct stimulation to my clitoris with one. I usually press it against the folds, so I can still feel it without it hurting- perhaps you should try angling it downwards...?"

Anti breathed out again, slowly. "O-okay," he sighed. "Downwards..."

With trembling fingers, Anti pushed the button again, this time pulling the toy just a little farther up so that it wasn't touching his prostate anymore.

The difference was monumental.

It didn't feel like he was in pain- the intensity was numbed by the time the vibrations even reached his prostate, only teasing him a little- and it was building up slowly. He could feel his blood pumping through him, pounding in his ears as it rushed to his groin, sending his muscles into brief little spasms at the pleasure.

He felt himself start to harden again, breathing a sigh of relief as he chanced a look at Dark. And he was smiling proudly, watching intently, the trousers he was wearing seeming even tighter than before. But his expression didn't betray the obvious tenting at all, so Anti ignored it- instead focusing on finding the best angle for the toy inside him. It was a little too dull where it was now, so Anti moved it to the left, and...

_"Shit..."_

"That's better, isn't it?" Dark praised, his vision starting to fog up with lust- but they'd had an agreement. Anti wanted to do this alone, so Dark would let him, even if he was driving himself a little crazy with his inactivity. He needed to move- he wanted to walk over and pin Anti down on the bed and ravage him, but that kind of intensity was far out of the question now. 

He settled for unzipping his trousers, not bothering to remove them- he just needed a little extra room, that's all. But the motion didn't go unnoticed by Anti, and his lover smirked in his direction through his sultry gasps and moans. Dark wasn't sure if Anti had noticed, but he was now fully hard and dripping- and it was all because of his own touches.

Just like he'd wanted.

" _Shit_... D-Darky, can you... can you touch yourself so I can see?" Anti pleaded softly, wriggling the vibrator to the right instead and arching his back in pleasure.

"Do you want that?" Dark asked, making sure that Anti wasn't just saying it in the heat of the moment. He was aching, his body begging for the release- and he could feel the warning signs of contractions starting, but he knew they'd pass before long. It seemed that his body had finally caught up to the fact that he was expecting, warning him of the danger of continuing this- but he knew he'd be alright. If something went wrong, he had the doctors to fall back on.

"I think it'd be h-hot," Anti agreed. "Oh,  _fuck_  this is.. fucking...  _works_..."

"Aren't you glad you kept at it?" Dark smiled, reaching to tug his boxers down just enough for his dick to sit free. It was pressed up against his stomach, and he'd been more aroused by the show than he'd expected- but Anti seemed proud of the effect he'd had on Dark's libido.

"F-fuck yeah, I..." Anti hissed. "I need... a condom..."

He reached clumsily on the sheets for a condom, turning the toy off so that he could think straight as he rolled it on, a little amazed that out of everything he'd tried, it was a vibrating piece of plastic that had managed to do the trick. He supposed he was wrong about it earlier- despite how small and strange it looked, it was clearly very capable of providing the pleasure Anti needed.

Perhaps, he'd have to keep it- Kink wouldn't miss just one toy, would he?

Dark was still watching, one hand wrapped around his length as he tugged lazily, seemingly more interested in Anti's sexual adventure than reaching his own orgasm. Anti wanted nothing more than to be there himself- to be able to touch Dark and kiss him, but they were on two different planes of existence right now. Even if there wasn't the threat of losing their baby on the line, it wouldn't be very convenient.

But  _oh_ , Anti could dream...

"Turn it on again," Dark spoke softly, the hint of a whine in his tone as he continued to pump his fist along the length of his shaft. "I want to see you squirming for it... just like when you do it for me. Can you do that, Dear? Just for me?"

"Mhm..." Anti muttered in agreement, hesitating only a little before hitting the button again. He was ready for this- he was prepped and he was wearing a condom, and he had the sample jar lying just a few feet away on the bed. He could do this. He  _was_  doing this. They were doing this  _together_ , and that was the best part.

The buzzing sound filled the air again, and Anti decided to try the direct stimulation one more time. Now that he was used to the sensation, he figured it wouldn't be as overwhelming as before. And he was right- it was still a lot more intense than Anti might have initially wanted, but it was hitting all the right places with pleasant tingles that shook Anti to his core. He felt the pressure building up inside him, his hand flying to his dick in an urge to keep his condom on as he rocked out possibly the most intense orgasm he'd had in weeks.

He could feel it spurting forth from outside the latex wrap- and okay, that was fucking weird- but it felt even stranger settling on his softening dick. His hands fell feebly onto his thighs as he breathed through the pulses of arousal that lingered on, the throbbing sensation in his lower half still circulating despite the fact that he'd come.

"Fuck..." Anti panted, aware of his cheeks and his neck turning bright red, the mirror in front of him fogging over with heat.  _"Fuck_..."

"I gather that was a pleasant experience," Dark smiled teasingly from behind the mirror, poking his head through to bypass the mist. "My, my... I've never taken the opportunity to look at you when you're burned out like this. You're beautiful, dear, so beautiful..."

Anti made a little groan of agreement, and Dark was forced to stifle a laugh in wake of the situation at hand.

"I know you're tired, Dear, especially after that," Dark uttered, tapping on the wall to get Anti's attention before he drifted off to sleep. "But don't forget- the doctors need this sample. Take that thing off before it leaks, and hurry there- please, Anti, it's... it's important,"

_It could mean life or death..._

"Important... it's... oh,  _fuck_ , that's right," Anti grunted, still looking a little dazed from that ordeal. He got to his knees and caught the condom as it slipped off, tossing it into the sample container and twisting the bright yellow lid. He fumbled a little with it, but he shrugged his tiredness away- this was much more important than a need for sleep. He took out his vibrator and set it aside, wincing at the tiniest sting that it left behind- but that would pass within the hour. He'd put bigger things up there before, after all.

He was about to head out when Dark called out to him, stopping him in his tracks.

"Your clothes, Dear," Dark reminded, gesturing to the discarded clothing from earlier. Anti bit his lip as he pulled on his boxers, throwing on his shirt- back to front, of course- and opened his door cautiously, sample in hand. He wasn't forgetting anything else, was he?

"Nothing more?" Dark questioned upon seeing that Anti wasn't pulling on his trousers.

Anti shrugged. "As long as there's nobody else out, I should be fine in this... okay, I'll be back, don't... don't go anywhere,"

Dark stifled a chuckle as Anti left the room, closing the door behind him. He'd left his toy on the bed, in a little puddle of lube that would undoubtedly make the room a little stuffy to deal with. And he still had a handful of condoms scattered on his side table- Dark hadn't ever taught him how to use a condom before. It hadn't even crossed his mind, really. Wilford was clean, and the other demons here were immaterial, so Dark hadn't even been able to catch diseases in over forty years.

And he hadn't even thought he was capable of pregnancy until the news had hit- so he'd seen no use in covering up during sex. But now, if Anti's semen really was as dangerous as it seemed... he'd rather succumb to using a condom than abstain from being with the one he loved. Until the doctors determined what was wrong, they'd have to cease sexual contact- and that could take several months to uncover. Dark just wasn't ready to let what he had with Anti go quite yet.

Anti was back in moments, closing the door with a slight slam as he pressed his back to the wall. He was even redder in the face than he'd been before- something must have happened on his way back.

"Did it go well?" Dark asked.

"Yeah, it went fine," Anti swallowed. "Just almost got caught by Chase, asking me how the dildo thing went... in the hallway..."

Dark winced a little in sympathy, holding out his hand and beckoning Anti closer to him. Anti walked over to him, kneeling by the mirror and taking Dark's hand in his own, smiling softly at his lover.

"I'm so proud of you, Antithesis..." Dark sighed happily, cupping Anti's cheek and bringing him just a little bit closer. "How you managed to do that... Sometimes I wish I had your patience. You've always been such a delight to have around, so eager to try new things, even if they're not what you expected at first..."

Anti blushed deeply, scoffing a little at Dark's words. "You're... you're trying too hard, Darky..."

Dark tittered under his breath, lips just inches away from Anti's own. " **Au contraire, mon cheri**... I don't need to try at all to find the ways in which you brighten my world,"

Dark was filled with a content, happy emotion that swelled from his gut and spiralled through his heart. He let Anti kiss him, then again- running his fingers lovingly through Anti's hair, wishing that he'd never left. They could have all of this and more, in the Void. They could do this every night, they could speak when they wanted. Their daughter would probably be safe from harm there- more so than in this cruel plane of existence, anyway.

And yet... if they'd never fallen out, they would have continued on forever without talking about what was really wrong between them. They'd have fought over and over- they'd have hurt each other. They'd needed the separation, as much as they hated to admit it. Was two years not enough time apart?

_ 'Lean forward a little- the mirror is blocking his way,' _

_'Celine... you're free to make your own decisions, you realise?'_

_'Damien, he's... he's_ your _boyfriend. Not mine. It isn't right for me to decide what the two of you get up to...'_

_'That's simply ridiculous, Celine- he wants us both. He's told us time and time again, that he loves all of us, even if... even if parts of us don't love him back. He isn't_ my _boyfriend, he's_ ours _.'_

Their lips parted softly, and Dark breathed tentatively into Anti's mouth, gazing into his pretty green eyes. So different to Mark's own- not only in colour, but in expression. Anti's eyes were emotional- full of love, and sadness, and yearning and desire. Mark's had been full of anger, loathing and regret. And while Celine had given her late husband the benefit of the doubt, it had all changed when he'd started to hurt her physically.

Celine still didn't quite trust Anti, even now. He'd turned on them two years ago, and he'd killed them a few times since. It had hurt, but... but Celine hadn't let herself become attached to him. Damien was the one that had cried for him- the one that had locked them away while his emotions manifested as a lightning storm that shook the manor's very walls. Damien had always had an affinity for sensing when other people were in pain. But Celine had never seen him project his own pain onto his surroundings like that...

Perhaps it was simply his abilities finally coming to fruition. While Celine had been able to read the future for years, Damien had only really tapped into his empath side after they'd been manipulated into becoming Dark.

And that was another thing... Celine had been seeing the future for most of her life. She'd seen her wedding day when she was fifteen years old, hardly knowing who Mark even was at the time- and yet, as soon as they'd locked eyes, she'd let her vision lead her on. She'd put faith in her abilities, only to have them stab her in the back when she ended up married to the man who'd eventually come to murder her.

She'd seen Damien become mayor while he was still studying at university- and she'd seen their father die in an auto crash, but she hadn't said a word about that to her Jewish family, knowing her vision would be disregarded. All of her predictions came true, whether they were what they seemed or not- and it was a curse more often than a blessing.

Lately, her future hadn't been so clear to her. She saw Anti holding their body, looking at them with tears in his eyes, blood spilled all down his front. She saw their baby girl lying still in his arms, barely moving, barely making a sound. She saw flames, bright and orange and engulfing her as she struggled to hold in her breath. And there was nothing else.

Her future was in pieces, but one thing was certain... Anti wasn't going to be with her forever. He wasn't going to be with Dark forever. She saw no logical reason to become attached to him if they were going to be split apart. And yet...

Even now, she felt happier than ever- elated beyond belief. It was as if her emotions weren't even her own anymore, as surely she wouldn't be so foolish as to fall in love with an abusive man again. But... there was no mistaking that being here with Anti, being part of the romance that her dear brother had craved for all those years, felt... pretty amazing. His kisses, his touches... he really, genuinely cared about them. He was sorry for what he'd done- and that was something Celine had known Mark wasn't capable of for a long while.

Damien didn't want to believe the truth. He thought they'd be with Anti forever, but... Celine knew better than that. She couldn't see a future between them. Whether it meant that Dark wouldn't make it, or that Anti would discard them, she wasn't sure. But she couldn't bring herself to ruin the last of their moments with this oppressive sense of pessimism she'd adapted into her life. Damien wouldn't want that. And Celine was tired of making all the wrong decisions in Dark's life. It was time to let Damien have what he wanted, though she wished she could have come to her senses much sooner.

They may only have a few months left, now...

Dark hesitated only a moment longer, but soon met Anti's lips once more- this time with a little added passion. And Anti only chuckled into the embrace, returning the kiss as he trailed his fingers slowly across the surface of the mirror. 

"What was that for?" Anti muttered when they parted again, noting the bright crimson in his lover's eyes fading out to deep purple. Dark bit his lip cautiously, as if he was afraid of speaking- but then, he let out a small sigh of defeat.

"I love you," Dark said simply, pecking Anti's lips once more. "So very much... it would pain me to lose you,"

"I'm not going anywhere," Anti promised, shifting and sitting on the ground, feeling Dark press a cool kiss to his forehead.

"I'm glad," Dark sighed in relief. 

Anti smiled, sighing contently under his breath. "You... never finished getting off, did you?"

Dark let out a small bark of laughter at the tangent, cocking his head to one side as he regarded Anti closely. "Is that really the first thing that popped into that head of yours?"

"No, I'm just at the perfect level to help you fix it," Anti explained, nodding to Dark's still straining cock that was pressed up against his stomach.

Dark's groin tightened once more at the implications spilling through Anti's tone. " _Shit_... keep that up and I'll finish before you even get the chance,"

Anti smiled in return as Dark shifted in his seat, opening his mouth and poking out his tongue, breathing hotly against his side of the mirror. Dark gulped as he felt the tension rising between them again, pushing his underwear as far down as he could make them sit, hesitantly holding his shaft in his hand as he looked at his lover.

"Is this you fulfilling our little wager, Dear?" Dark murmured as he slowly let himself pass through, brushing against Anti's lips and letting the touch send little tingles of pleasure through his veins.

Anti chuckled softly, smirking as he took what he could reach into his mouth. He could barely manage anything beyond the tip, as Dark couldn't move any closer to him- but the warm pressure was driving the demon madder still. It didn't matter that Anti couldn't work the entire length himself, because he was compensating wonderfully with the slow motions of his tongue against Dark's heated skin.

"No, this one's on the house," Anti replied with a sultry smirk, licking his lips teasingly.

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Who... are you, exactly?"

President and Necromancer were sitting comfortably on Anti's lounge, snuggled close together. They'd been here for a few hours now- sitting and chatting, discussing their components and how they were feeling about this change. They'd kissed a few more times, but were mostly content to bask in each other's company, somehow feeling so much more fulfilled than either couple had felt alone. Perhaps their emotions were just heightened due to being two individuals mashed together into one form.

It wasn't important. All that mattered was that the plan they'd agreed to was really working out.

And they'd been speaking about what kind of activities to do together, while they were like this- because the possibilities were endless. Marvin brought Necromancer the desire to get up and do something substantial, while Robbie would usually just lie in with Host. And Yan brought President the passion he needed to show Necro just how much he meant to him, while Host would often be content to sit and reflect rather than act on his whims.

And it worked both ways- Host and Robbie had a quiet calm about them, one that would soothe both fusions enough that they could sit and watch a film, or read a book together- both of which being activities that Marvin and Yan just couldn't handle on their own. They were both just so easily excitable- and it was nice to take a step back and think about what was happening around them.

They'd been about to leave and go to their room (Marvin and Yan's room, that is- Host and Robbie's was a little bit of a mess of blood and unfinished manuscripts presently) when they'd been found by a red-eyed King of the Squirrels as he left Anti's little office nook.

The man had been watching over Blank, waiting for him to wake up while the doctors were preoccupied. Something had come up, something to do with Anti and the baby- and Blank was the least of their concerns. He was, after all, healed over- he just hadn't awoken from his mild coma quite yet.

President regarded him coolly. "My name is President, and this is Necromancer."

Necro sighed softly against his shoulder, nuzzling a little further into President's side. Marvin hadn't been too set at first on adapting Robbie's habit of nuzzling Host, but he soon found that it was rather nice. It was comfortable, and warm, and Yan didn't seem to mind him doing it.

 _President_  didn't mind it at all.

King rubbed at his bleary eyes once more. He looked confused- but perhaps he was just a little displaced. His beloved pet had just been brutally killed, after all- and the man he'd once loved with all his heart was in a coma because of King's peanut-covered cheeks. His face was rubbed raw as if he'd tried to wash the condiment away, but it still remained. Perpetually sticky, seemingly just like the growing troubles of his life.

"You're... you seem familiar. Are you a fusion?" King muttered.

"Yes," Necro supplied softly, clearing his throat a little. "I'm made of... Marvin and Robbie..."

"And President is the fusion of The Host and Yandereplier," President agreed, fingers tapping along Necro's side as King took his seat in the barren living area. Anti and the doctors were still upstairs, and the majority of the others were visiting Septiplier- and Google hadn't come out of his room in days. But he wasn't exactly the type to let himself go, President knew- he was more likely plotting something devious. Something he didn't want the others to know about...

"Right," King sighed. "Okay... I... have you seen the doctors at all?"

"No, sorry..." Necro muttered, sending him the most reassuring smile he could muster. "They're still... upstairs,"

King let out a grunt of acknowledgement, burying his face in his hands.

Perhaps Bim could have helped him- but after Blank had returned, it seemed they'd had a falling out. Bim hadn't come inside since- and it had been over two days now since Peevils and her little sidekick had started that stressful ordeal. He could simply have been staying with Halter and Septiplier, but... well, President didn't have high hopes. It was more likely that Bim had run into trouble while nobody else was there to look after him.

President hoped that despite the sinking feeling in his chest, Bim was alright.

Necro's expression shifted as he heard the front door open, letting in three familiar egos as they laughed together, clapping each others' backs. They'd only had BingSepticeye for a few days, and already he was just as loud as Chase and the older Bing android tended to get. It was like those three were made for each other- and Necro was happy for them. BingSepticeye was like the child they'd been craving for weeks now, with his wide eyes and amazed expression, hanging on their every word...

"Dude, just give it a few weeks- you'll nail that shot in no time," Chase exclaimed, giving the new android a fist-bump and watching happily as his warm yellow optics shone even brighter at the praise.

"Yeah- and we'll have to teach you how to skate," Bing added, grinning proudly at the shorter ego.

"I can't wait!" BingSepticeye chimed in, smiling up at both of them. "You guys are so cool, I wish I'd known you were here before..."

"You're probably even older than us, kiddo," Chase countered. "My guess is that you've been around since Google- since you're fan made and all. What do you think, Bing?"

Both androids looked at Chase- and that's when he figured there was going to be a slight problem. He'd put off talking about this for a while, not sure of how to go about it, but... this couldn't continue. One of them needed a new name. And considering that the young Septiceye wasn't even entirely canon, Chase had the feeling he knew who would be taking it.

Bing's eyes flashed. "I agree- I believe he came to be in 2014, which is the earliest record I have of him."

"But you guys seem so much older than me," BingSepticeye pouted. "And taller- I might have appeared back then but I had no idea of the time passing. I've just... stayed the same,"

"Well, we don't really worry about adult responsibilities here," Chase snorted. "You're free to be a kid- be anything you want to be, dude. Nobody's holding you back,"

"I want to get to know you guys better," BingSepticeye put forward. "But... I don't want to leave Angus. He was there for me, you know? He's like my protective older bro, I can't just  _ditch_  like that..."

"Isn't he staying?" Chase questioned. Bing frowned a little, though he tried to hide it behind his hand. It seemed he'd grown rather attached to the newcomer.

BingSepticeye shook his head. "No, he's the Survival Hunter- remember? He's always off chasing something more dangerous, and exciting... I don't want to leave him, but I... don't want to leave you either,"

"Oh... come here,"

Chase scooped the smaller droid into his arms, giving him his best dad hug as Bing let his own hands snake around them both. They stayed that way for a few moments, holding each other like the family Chase had left behind, until the father let out a choked sigh.

"I... don't want to let you go, either," Chase admitted. "You're like... you're like the kid I never got the chance to meet. When I look at you, I... I see myself, when I was younger. And I know we're basically all the same person, but... but I really like hanging with you."

"You could both stay here," Bing supplied, stepping forward and wrapping a comforting arm around Chase's shoulder. "It's never a dull day with us- I'm sure he'll find something dangerous to do around here. Where else would you go?"

BingSepticeye shrugged, his optics glassing over a little as he realised just how much his new friends cared about him. Angus was like his older brother, sure- and their relationship was strong, but... it was the same as it had always been. It wasn't changing, or new, or challenging... it was just there. BingSepticeye had never felt love- he'd always followed Angus around from adventure to adventure, letting go of the nice egos and friends he made along the way.

But if he stayed here, with the rest of his family... he'd have friends. People he could confide in, people he could talk to about things he'd never be able to tell Angus face to face. He could perhaps find someone to call his lover- though there wasn't anyone he'd really connected with so far, but according to his other brothers there were new faces here all the time.

He'd miss the adventure, sure. But even if it was just a temporary thing, BingSepticeye wanted to stay put for a while. Enjoy the family he'd wanted for the past four years. He only hoped that Angus might want to stay here as well.

"I... we never really know," BingSepticeye swallowed. "We just kind of... set off. In a new direction, meeting new people, tackling new creatures..."

"You don't sound happy," Bing frowned again. "You don't have to stay here, if you don't want to. But if you do, we're..."

Bing's arm tightened around Chase's middle as he held his lover close. "We're always ready to have you, alright?"

BingSepticeye's features split into a grin that could barely be contained on his cheeks. "O-okay," he agreed, pulling the others in for another hug. Chase laughed in relief, hugging back twice as hard.

The scene brought a smile to Necro's face.

"President does not want to ruin this touching moment, but he would like to point out that having two Bing androids in the family would make communication rather difficult," President voiced aloud, sensing all heads turning to face him.

The androids looked his way, before locking eyes again with each other. Bing looked a little apprehensive as he crouched to his counterpart's height, brushing the other robot's golden hair aside.

"I... I'm an official ego, and Mark might want to do more with me in the future," Bing muttered, almost sounding ashamed. "I probably shouldn't change my name. But you don't need to change yours either, if you don't want to,"

"I don't mind," BingSepticeye interceded, shaking his head. "Really- I never felt like Bing was an... accurate description of me, anyway,"

"So what should we call you?" Chase asked, worrying at his bottom lip. "I mean- what do  _you_ want us to call you?"

"I..." BingSepticeye trailed off. He was at a loss here- he didn't really even know himself enough to judge what he should be called. Did he want a regular name, one that a father would give to their child upon birth, hoping it would be grown into? Did he want to name himself after one of his previous experiences?

"I don't... know," he admitted. "But I don't know a lot of things. I... I'm not a Bing robot. I'm just a character made up to exist alongside another one. I'm just... confused, about who I am really..."

There was silence for a few moments.

"Blaine," Bing spoke suddenly, causing Chase and BingSepticeye to look at him curiously. "Blaine Bing Septiceye. The name 'Blaine' means 'little yellow one' and 'slender', and originated in Europe."

The smaller robot blinked carefully. Blaine... it had a nice ring to it. It sounded similar to his previous name, yet it had that touch of... something else. It sounded like the name of an artsy kid at school, one that keeps to himself and shies away from the attention, has a pretty girlfriend, a nice family...

It had character. Something to fit into. Something he could rewrite if he turned out differently, not something as generic as the name of a popular search engine. That wasn't who he was. He was just a regular guy, who wanted to live an average life.

"I love it," he breathed. "I... Blaine. It's perfect,"

Bing chuckled as Blaine hugged them both around the middle, patting his back as the other egos in the room sent the three of them happy smiles. When Chase had told him there was a new Septiceye android, he'd been over the moon just waiting to meet them. And Blaine was just like Chase- he was caring and kind, and empathetic, and careful, but then... he was also like Bing. A little silly, a little hyper- a complete nerd when it came to pointless facts, and a sensitive robot to boot.

He was like the perfect mix of both of them, really. And Bing knew that Chase saw it too.

"Thank you," Blaine grinned, finally letting go of them in favour of updating his system. Blaine... that name would be written in his very code, so that the next time he managed to hurt himself, he could come back knowing exactly who he was. Knowing exactly who his family was. Knowing exactly where he  _belonged_...

"No problem, kiddo," Chase sniffed, wiping a tear from his eye as Bing rubbed soothing circles into his back. "I... fuck, I'm sorry,"

"What's wrong?" Blaine asked, concerned.

Chase only smiled through his happy tears. "I'm just... proud? God, you must think I'm a creep, I don't know why I'm so emotional right now..."

Bing met his eyes understandingly. "I know why,"

Silence filled the air, and Chase exchanged a nervous glance with his lover while Blaine looked on in confusion. Chase sighed.

"Yeah," he breathed. "I... guess I do know why. But that doesn't matter right now- come on, kiddo, you gotta meet Google,"

President cleared his throat. "Google hasn't been out of that room in days, he might not want to speak with you,"

Bing sent the fusion a knowing smile, nodding his head. "True, but... well, Google will want to see him. He's another android, after all,"

"D'you think he'll like me?" Blaine asked, worried. Chase wrapped an arm hesitantly around the smaller ego's shoulder, squeezing tightly. It was almost as if he didn't know what was okay between them, and didn't want to test the waters too much in case he scared the other ego away.

"Even if he doesn't want to tell you, I'm sure he will," Chase smiled, though he still seemed a little bothered by something. The way that he met Bing's eyes afterwards, the concern shining through them... President could hazard a guess at what was making him so uncomfortable. Blaine acted young- younger than the others did, and he had barely any of the traits that the adult Septiceyes had picked up over the years. He seemed like a glorified version of the perfect model teenager- and of course Chase would fall for that.

Chase had always wanted a family- even before the story had come out about his previous life, he'd had a habit of treating the others as his children. Robbie had taken offense to it- but Robbie was an adult at that point. Blaine... well, he just wasn't quite there. Perhaps living with only adventure for four years could do that to someone.

Or perhaps, Jack simply hadn't grown up until after Blaine came into existence. It would certainly explain why Anti was the way he was...

The three ventured upstairs, Chase's arm still slung around Blaine's shoulders, and Necro let out a little chuckle at the sight. He was smiling happily, and he met President's eyes with a sly smirk.

"They're... sweet,"

"So they are," President agreed.

King let out a frustrated sigh, folding his arms as if he'd been waiting for them to leave so that he didn't ruin their moment, getting to his feet. "I... I'm getting some air,"

As he walked outside, Necro frowned in puzzlement. "There's no... air out there, the moron..."

"Shh," President teased softly. "Be nice... President appreciates when people need time to themselves, and doesn't pry into the reasoning why,"

Necro sighed, resting his head on President's breast and breathing in his lovely scent of parchment paper and cherry blossoms. It was... calming, in a way. Necro found he rather liked it when President held him like this. It was different to anything his counterparts had experienced before- Marvin and Yan's only contact outside of sex usually just involved kissing and holding hands, while Robbie and Host didn't really do much but lie there and draw comfort from each other's presence.

But now, President had both of Necro's hands in his own, and he was rubbing gently at the sensitive spots between his knuckles- whispering little comments and hints of praise, just waiting for Necro to smile at him again. It was the perfect middle ground- not too dull, yet not too exciting. Everyone was able to enjoy the simple romance they were sharing.

"I really like this feeling," Necro confided, looking up at his lover with misty eyes. "I almost don't want to leave... but we have to get started,"

President let out a small sigh of agreement, sitting upright and stretching his back as Necro did the same. It was true- they'd wasted enough time already just enjoying each other's existence and learning the other's quirks... it was time to start working on mending the relationships that had founded their own.

And yet... President wasn't so sure he wanted that anymore. He'd never seen Necro so happy- and although Necro had only come into existence in the past two days, he felt as though he'd never seen his respective components this happy either. That smile that changed ever so slightly from Robbie's soft expression to Marvin's playful grin- Yan hadn't seen Marvin smile so widely in months.

Perhaps even a year.

Was it Yan's fault that Marvin had grown so distant? Was it he that had brought about his lover's depression? He didn't want to believe it, but... Yan hadn't made him feel truly happy in what seemed like forever. President had managed it in only a day.

Strangely, President was hardly concerned by this revelation. As long as he was here, Necro would be happy with him- so if he didn't leave, they'd be happy forever- right?

 _No_ , part of him warned.  _We are a temporary solution._  He knew that they'd fix themselves up, eventually. But his faith in them was lacking- how could they even hope to mimic what he represented? Yan was so brash, and careless- and Host couldn't appreciate the world around him unless they were together. They  _needed_ him.

And President was determined to make this experience enjoyable. If they didn't manage to heal their already broken relationships, he could always start afresh, right? Yan and Marvin were broken, Host and Robbie were dull... but Necro and President were perfect.  _Perfect_...

"Are you... alright?" Necro asked, worry shining through his milky blue eyes. "You seem... divided. Do you want to... split?"

President shook his head. "I don't need to split, I'm fine. Let's find something fun to do together,"

Necro still looked a little worried, and he almost said something- but a voice inside warned him against it.  _Not everything needs to be an argument_ , it told him. So he breathed through his heightened anxiety, curling his fingers in President's again as they started to walk to their room, pretending that the look of pain that passed his love's face under that blindfold was all in his head.

He was just overthinking it, wasn't he?

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

Blaze didn't know how long he'd been running for- minutes, hours? Surely not- it felt like only moments ago that he'd been threatened by a crazy bitch with silver eyes, forced to get up and move before he was stabbed to death. And she'd followed him for a solid mile or so, before falling back and vanishing into the darkness that loomed around.

It was almost as if she'd been scared of something. Anti? Please, even Blaze wasn't afraid of that wannabe edgelord, though he'd recognised the area immediately upon arriving. Nobody else lived around here- nobody, it seemed, except for a neighbour who had  _terrible_  taste in roofing. Seriously, what was that slope trying to be? A ski jump?

Blaze had visited Anti countless times before- back when they'd been friends, he'd stayed over pretty consistently until Daniel had put his foot down. And yet... Anti hadn't showed him any signs of hostility until he'd possessed Phil's body. It was all so far away, like it had been a dream- it was just so unlike him to snap like that.

_Well, what do you know about him, really?_

Not much. They'd each kept their secrets, they'd each had their walls. Their friendship hadn't been intimate, but it had been built on understanding, and Blaze was aware that Anti didn't get much of that from anyone else. They'd been content to remain casual friends, but... well, Blaze supposed he was the one that had drifted away. Growing closer to Daniel, spending more time with him, leaving Anti all alone... The last time they'd spoken before this all went pear-shaped was Valentine's Day, and now it was past May. Probably.

Blaze still didn't quite know where he was, or what time it was. He really only wanted to find Daniel, so he could be caught up to speed, go back to living their peaceful life alone... 

"Wh-who are you?"

That voice sounded familiar, and yet different all at once. Blaze found himself turning to see who had spoken, finding a man sitting just outside Anti's house, his eyes red with tears. He was wearing a crown and a red robe, and his cheeks were covered in what appeared to be peanut butter- but Blaze guessed it wasn't the strangest look he'd seen around here. He cocked his head to one side.

"I'm Blaze," he spoke, folding his arms. "Have you seen a demon around here?"

The man's brows furrowed as he fought back another sob, shuddering a little as he wiped his tears. "N-no, not in m-months..."

He was clutching another set of robes in his hands, clinging to them as if they were his life force- and the tears kept on coming. Blaze fought back the urge to roll his eyes.

"Does Anti still live here?" Blaze asked, wondering if he should be worried about leaving. But Anti clearly had people around- surely he wouldn't lash out in front of them? Anti had always been rather worried about how he acted in public, and how it could reflect on his character.

The peanut-butter covered ego nodded glumly. "Y-yeah, he... he's probably upstairs..."

Blaze bit his lip. "Pull yourself together, why don't you?"

The other man clenched his fists, glaring up at Blaze with contempt. "I l-lost the two most important things in m-my life today, I think... I think I'm v-valid in grieving,"

Blaze sighed to himself as he walked away, but King didn't notice. He didn't even care. Molly was gone, Blank was in a coma, and Bim had faded away in the long hours of night, leaving nothing but his borrowed set of robes behind. King had found them lying in a pile outside Anti's house, bursting into fresh tears as the reality of the situation sunk in. Bim was gone- snuffed out like the weakest flame, with no telling when he'd appear again. And if King hadn't ended it, hadn't pushed Bim to the point of breaking, then... then he might still be here.

 _Goddamn it_... why was he such an idiot? He'd had a crush on that man for months now, and he'd used him the first chance he got. He'd played out his fantasies, he'd pushed Bim to comply, he'd even let their relationship continue after the manor collapsed, just seeing how far he could take it. He was  _despicable_ , but... he'd known, at least towards the end, that Bim liked him too.

Did that make it right?

Bim was dead because of his selfishness. And his death couldn't have been quick or easy, he must have been feeling ill and sick and tired all week. And King had pushed him to his limits and beyond, not even realising the toll it was taking on Bim's poor mind.

He wasn't much of a friend, was he?

No... no, he wasn't. And that, perhaps, was what stung the hardest. Bim wouldn't return for a long while, and when he finally came back, he wouldn't want to be friends with King anymore. He'd be fresh, and good as new- he wouldn't have time for anyone else. He'd fall into his old pattern of fucking around with Wilford (if the man ever managed to find his way back, that is) and King would be irrelevant.

Well, he supposed it was what he deserved.

But was it what Bim deserved? He'd become so humble, and caring, and sweet... it wasn't right of him to pick and choose like that. It wasn't right of him to feel jealousy over the one he'd manipulated into returning his feelings like that. King felt  _awful_.

And all he could do was sit by Anti's house and  _cry_...

 


	33. Chapter 32

**~Void~**

"Dark?"

Anti had been in the middle of a sentence, speaking about what exactly had happened in the few short days they'd been apart- about Blank's appearance (Dark had been rather concerned about his wellbeing), Peevils' return (Dark's fists had clenched so hard that his knuckles turned white), the meeting with the other Septiceyes (Dark didn't respond, but he'd been hanging on every word).

He didn't know how long it had been since they'd started. But he'd always been able to talk to Dark for hours on end, even when they ran out of real facts to share- then, they would usually break out a board game or read a book, or tell each other jokes until Anti drifted off to sleep. And Anti had never known what Dark got up to while he was sleeping- but he always seemed to be there again when Anti woke up. Did he really even leave at all?

Anti had just finished recounting his brothers' reaction to his affair with JJ, and he was moving on to talk about the strange look Chase wore when he'd been introduced to the other Bing robot, when none other than Amy knocked on the door.

Dark had beckoned her inside, of course- and she'd brought him a plate of food. Mashed potatoes, roast lamb, and a side of vegetables- Anti hadn't eaten anything quite like it before. Then again, Anti didn't really get around to eating much. The only normal human necessity he actually indulged in was sleep.

"You two holding up okay? Nothing went wrong?" Amy asked as she set down some more clothes on Dark's bed, giving Anti a pointed look.

"It all went smoothly," Dark smiled, inclining his head to Anti as he moved from his chair. His back cracked aloud, and the demon winced, turning his neck to relieve the cramps. Amy looked a little worried, but didn't speak up about it. Instead, she focused her full attention on Anti, sending him a reassuring smile through the mirror. He couldn't help but notice the tears in her eyes.

"I'm glad," Amy sighed in relief, despite her eyes betraying her true feelings. "What about you, Anti?"

"I'm better than ever," Anti breathed, tapping his toes as he waited for Dark to return to his seat. Amy had dragged over one of the bedside tables- and while it wasn't much, it certainly meant that their conversation didn't have to end so soon. Talking to Dark from all the way on the bed wasn't really the way Anti liked to spend their nights.

Amy smiled in response, looking at Dark. "Well, I have some good news- Seán wants to visit the day after next, and he wants to talk about what happened. The doctors, they... they're looking into some things you two need to sort out,"

Dark sighed reluctantly. "I expected as much... No matter. I look forward to seeing him again, in any case. Oh- Amy? Could you perhaps fetch me some water?"

"Sure thing," Amy nodded. "Want anything, Anti?"

Anti shrugged. "I don't really need it, I can make whatever I need over here, but- thanks, Amy,"

Amy smiled appreciatively, blinking a stray tear away. What was wrong with her? Hadn't she been happy earlier?

"No problem. I'll be up in a moment-"

She walked out of the room, the door creaking as she left. Dark picked up a knife and fork Amy had given him, prodding cautiously at his meal. Anti could practically hear his stomach growling in need, yet Dark seemed a little intimidated by what was on his plate.

"I don't think I'd seen you eat anything before this all happened," Anti mused, watching as Dark hesitantly swallowed a small mouthful of greens. The demon cracked a smile, letting out a small breath of relief.

"Yes, well... I didn't have much need for sustenance until this little one came along..."

He placed a hand to his tummy, though Anti could barely see it behind the table. He felt himself smile in any case- it was still so strange to think that in a few short months, he'd be a father. Like Chase, like Schneep- apparently, anyway. That doctor hadn't shown any indication that he knew about or cared about his children, if they actually existed.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about..." Dark started, clearing his throat and coughing slightly. He shook his head when Anti stood in concern. "It's nothing, Dear, nothing... just a tickle. But I... never really had the chance to just sit, and talk about our future together with you,"

Anti swallowed his reply, having been ready to protest- but Dark was right. Sure, they'd talked a little- they'd talked about the cheating, the affairs, the complex relationships that they hadn't brought up in their past. They'd spoken briefly about their baby, they'd chattered mindlessly about how well each other was doing, they'd talked a little about Dark's history- and of course, they'd talked about Damien and Celine.

But they hadn't sat down at all in the past week, just to think about  _them_.

"I... I guess you're right," Anti sighed. "We hadn't really gotten past all the bad shit until today, too- and then, there was the sample, so... yeah. I see what you mean, Darky..."

Dark's fork clattered slightly as he rested it on his plate, looking Anti in the eyes. "Antithesis... I want you to tell me, with no doubt, that... that you want to have this child. That you want to be with me. I... I'm done with assuming your word on these matters, Dear, I- I want to hear it from you. I won't hate you if you tell me no, so please don't feel the need to filter yourself- because I know when you're lying to me,"

Anti frowned a little. "I... I already told you I do, Dark. Don't you remember? I know we've only been... together-together for a couple months, but I never doubted I'd want to spend my life with you. And I know we've only had our baby for a week, but.. but I love her, just like I love you. Of course I want you, how could you think any different?"

Anti wasn't shy about telling Dark how much he meant to him- maybe he didn't like doing it in front of the others for fear of being taunted, but he always showed his love when they were alone together. And Dark had always accepted his love- even if the demon sometimes looked as though he knew better. But Anti didn't understand it. There wasn't a shred of doubt in his mind- he  _wanted_ this relationship, and this baby, and this life... why couldn't Dark see that?

Dark sighed, brushing some of his hair aside. "I've been feeling... a little lost. Like I'm pressuring you into this, or- or like I'm not giving you a choice in the matter. I love you, Anti- I love you with all of my heart, and I want to treat you with the respect that you deserve from me..."

Anti blinked softly, still a little confused. "I... where'd all of this come from?" He asked softly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Dark spoke, fixing Anti with a brooding look. "Truly, aside from the ill that plagues me, I'm perfectly average. But I needed to hear it from you. I wanted to hear you say you'll love us both, and I want you to mean it when you do..."

"Of course I do," Anti said without hesitation. "Of course I love you- I've loved you since before I even knew what love was. I had to have Host fucking spell it out for me, Darky, but I love you- more than anything. You two- you... well, you four are the most important people I'll ever know,"

Dark seemed a little taken aback, but the happy tears welling in his eyes told Anti that he wasn't sad. The demon raised his eyebrows, regarding Anti with a curious expression. "Four of us?"

"Well, yeah," Anti sighed. "Desiree, and you, and... and Damien and Celine. All of you. If anything happened to any of you, I... I wouldn't forgive myself for letting it happen, but even after that, I..."

Anti bowed his head. "I don't think I'd be able to live without you,"

"Oh, Darling..." Dark sniffed, reaching through the mirror to grasp Anti's hand, holding it tightly. "Of course you could live without me- you have brothers, and you have the other Ipliers- and all of your friends in the Void..."

"Dark, it's not..." Anti sighed, looking down. "It's not like that. You know it's not like that. You've been there for me for my entire life- you  _are_  my friend. You're my  _family_ \- you're not just my lover, don't you get it? You're my everything, Darky, and everywhere I go, I... I can only think of you,"

Dark's tears were streaming down his face now, his plate of food semi-forgotten as he wiped at his bleary eyes. He'd been wearing makeup- just a touch of it, and it was only noticeable when the deep black started to drip down his cheeks. Anti would normally have been happy to see Dark embracing his identity- but not when his lover was having a small breakdown in another dimension. Anti hated that it was all he could do to hold Dark's hand through this, remain seated on one side of this damned mirror while the man he loved was weeping before him.

"I... I'm touched," Dark sniffed, his grip on Anti's hand tightening a little. "I... I'd never thought of... in this way, but... oh, Dear, I'm sorry, all those times I-"

"Hey," Anti frowned, thumbing over Dark's skin on his side of the mirror. "We've been sorry enough this week, you have nothing to apologise for,"

"But I  _do_ ," Dark countered, breaths shuddering in his throat. "I have so much to apologise f-for, not only to you, b-but..."

He looked down at his feet. "Will, and the egos- all of the souls I helped vanish without a trace, and... and my mother, and my father- and our dear friends-"

"Dark," Anti interrupted, squeezing his hand as the demon finally met his eyes again. "Don't... don't focus on stuff like that. Why are you so... so upset, today? Was it something Doc said?"

Dark bit his lip, shaking his head- but Anti knew Dark well enough to see through the mask. He frowned a little.

"Please, Darky?" Anti asked softly, interlacing their fingers as Dark's expression grew sombre. Eyes closed, brows furrowed- Dark's nostrils flared as he finally found the courage to speak.

"I'm dying, Anti," Dark spoke, teeth gritting as if the very words were painful. "I hadn't thought much of it at first, but I... I cannot deny my own weakness any longer. Humans are... such fragile vessels. And this body is no different. In every travel for sustained periods of time, I've seen it- I've felt it. Yet I never believed in it until now..."

Anti's lower lip quivered as he cocked his head, wondering if he could have heard that all wrong. He  _must_ have heard it wrong- Dark would  _never_ admit to having an illness. It had taken him over nine years just to admit that he was in love. "You're... you're what?"

"Anti, listen," Dark whispered. "I... I may not be around for much longer, and if that's the case, I implore you- don't let yourself fall into ruin again. I... they'd want you to be happy, Anti,"

"They?"

"The souls, they... they've grown attached to you. Now, I don't have much experience in... in dying, but these spirits, they... they don't belong to this body. If something were to happen, if I was to lose them, I... I wouldn't be able to find them again. I'd still be here, but... I'd be different. A shell of who I am now, an emotionless, heartless force of darkness... I'd be a demon. Nothing more,"

Anti blinked away a few tears that threatened to fall. This... this was real, wasn't it? Dark would never play a joke like this. "What are you saying?"

Dark's breath shuddered in his throat. "I... I've never been so ill before, Anti. Even when I lived in this realm, searching for vengeance on the man that wronged me- I was healthy as a corpse could be. But who I am now- fainting every day, crying over the silliest things, being unable to stand in one place for more than twenty minutes, this... this isn't normal, for me. I'm dying. The doctor thinks so, and... and Amy thinks so. Mark has already accepted it. I... I felt that you out of anyone had the right to know about it before the others,"

"Darky, you're pregnant," Anti denied, gesturing for Dark to give him another hand. He held them both close to his heart as he stared into his lover's eyes, trying not to let his shock and pain show- but he knew Dark could see through him like a sheet of glass. "You're a little weaker than usual, sure, but... but that's all normal. Right?"

Dark's makeup was a small mess now, his eyes black and red, his lips cracked and quivering... he tried to nod, but gave up after a moment. How could he bring himself to lie any longer?

"I'd tried to tell myself that," Dark sniffed, withdrawing his hands to wipe at his face. "Believe me, dear, I... I didn't want to believe it. But the doctor is concerned, and... and he really does know his field. If he thinks that I'm on my way out, I... I'm inclined to believe him,"

"But-" Anti tried to argue, but Dark sent him a sharp look.

"Don't try to deny it, Anti, it will only hurt you more," Dark muttered grimly. "I... I took long enough to accept it. That is why I was nothing short of tears when I called you earlier. That is why Amy looks so distraught. She's pitying us,"

Anti's own breath stuttered in his throat, his heart jumping up to join it- he felt a little ill in his stomach, and the look on Dark's face wasn't helping him. He wanted to reach out, to hold him- to tell him it would be okay... But Dark was stubborn, if nothing else. Anti knew that once he believed in something, only the most substantial evidence could change his mind.

"I'm sorry for dropping it on you like that," Dark breathed, reaching to wipe Anti's tears away. "Truly, I- I didn't mean to let it slip today. I wanted to spend time with you, doing mindless, happy things... I didn't want you to worry for me,"

"I've done nothing but worry about you since you left the Void," Anti frowned. "I just... I... I wish I could hug you, right now..."

"Oh, Dear..."

Dark leaned over his table, reaching through the mirror and wrapping his arms around Anti's shoulders, pressing tightly into his skin. Anti's forehead was pressed against the glass again, his fingers bent at a slightly odd angle, the boundary causing him to feel a gnawing sense of annoyance. But he didn't have time to be annoyed- Dark was unwell. So out of sorts that he believed he was dying, but... but the Dark he knew would never submit to that.

No, Anti's Dark was strong, and confident, and stubborn as anything. Hadn't he been convinced he was fine just days before?

"You're not going to die, Darky," Anti protested finally. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for- I've seen you take on bigger forces than a dumb disease. I've seen you get up after being stabbed through the heart- I've seen you lose a limb and still manage to thwart your enemies- this?"

Anti gestured to the darkened spots on his lover's chest, the cancer that was worrying him so much. "This has nothing on you,"

"But I've been so  _weak_ -"

Anti sighed in defeat. "Weakness... it doesn't mean anything. We're all weak sometimes, Darky. I was weak to my emotions the whole time I was gone, but I got past it. You'll be able to get past it, too,"

Dark's eyes were still filled with tears- and he obviously didn't believe what Anti was saying. But he nodded, wiping away the moisture, breathing deep and slow in an attempt to calm down. Anti gave him a small squeeze of the hand.

"What usually happens when you die, Dark?" Anti asked softly.

Dark let out a troubled breath, accidentally knocking his fork to the ground- but neither man cared to contemplate it. "I... I usually come right back, like nothing has changed. Sometimes, I heal over fatal wounds before my body has the chance to... to die. The demon within me, he... he keeps this body stable,"

"So as long as you have the demon, you'll be alright?" Anti deduced, seeing Dark's features scrunch a little in thought.

"I... I suppose so. Yet usually Tenebreux is so adept at maintaining this body's health that I feel no ill effects, and... and this past week alone, I've come into more trouble than ever,"

"Can I speak to him?" Anti asked bluntly.

Dark blinked, the air of surprise surrounding him as he stuttered out a response. "I... I don't think-"

"I've heard him before, Darky," Anti frowned. "I know he's in there- and I know he doesn't hate me. If he did, he wouldn't let you be with me- why don't you want me to talk to him?"

Dark let out a distressed sigh. "It's not that I... that I don't want you talking to him, Anti. If he wishes to speak to you, he is free to do so. But you... you have a habit of loving those who do not want to be loved. Tenebreux is... touchy. You will have to watch your manner,"

"My manners?"

"No, Darling, your  _manner_ ," Dark corrected, fingers entwining again in Anti's own. Their hands were clasped together, Anti's arms a little tired from holding them up- but he felt that the contact was worth it. Dark was clearly stressed right now- and any help Anti could give would be more important than the strain on his form.

Dark's nostrils flared again as he exhaled. "Your way of speaking, of doing- your mode of conversation. Tenebreux hasn't opened up to anybody in over two hundred years, Anti. The only way I know about his personal life is because I live it."

"Oh..." Anti sounded, nodding in understanding. He had a habit of being pushy, he knew that- perhaps Tenebreux was a no-nonsense kind of guy. The kind of guy Dark pretended to be when he was fraternising with demons. The kind of guy that Dark became when he was mad...

Anti gulped a little, but stood his ground. "Okay. Can I please... talk to you, Tenebreux?"

Dark's stature seemed to shift- his shoulders lifted, his chest stuck forward ever so slightly- and his features seemed to grow even darker. His eyes closed, and when they opened again, they were black as pitch.

Anti had definitely seen Tenebreux in action before. Sorting out fights between rogue egos, disciplining the others around the manor- yet he'd never actually spoken to this version of Dark in person. He was... curious, to say the least. He wondered whether or not Tenebreux would like him to let go of his hand, but the demon only sighed, probably hearing his thoughts. His voice was around the same pitch as Daniel's when he spoke, yet... he had a strange accent that Anti felt was familiar.

 **"Bonsoir, Antithesis,"**  Tenebreux greeted, not making any move to retract his hand. Anti clung to it despite the restlessness in his bones, knowing that Damien and Celine were still in there- and even if Tenebreux didn't like contact, those two were all about it. Sometimes it was hard to remember that Dark wasn't one being. Others, it was hard to forget.

"Hi," Anti said meekly, coughing to clear his throat. "Um, hi... so, you're Tenebreux, huh?"

Tenebreux inclined his head- and yeah, Anti guessed that really was a stupid question. He had a habit of asking those too, didn't he? Wow... you never notice how much you do something until you realise it's something bad.

Well, bad in this case, anyway. Though Anti only wanted the demon's attention to know why Dark had developed a sense of mortality after all these years- though he hadn't let himself have hopes, he... he knew it would wear away at him to know that part of Dark didn't love him. Didn't even  _like_  him.

It was... well, it sucked. But there wasn't anything he could do about it now.

 **"You do not have to be intimidated by my presence, mon cheri,"** Tenebreux chuckled softly, noticing Anti's reluctance. His laughter reverberated through the room, echoing from the walls. Anti felt a shiver run down his spine- and the room had grown... darker.

But he wasn't afraid of the dark. He had a close relationship with it, after all. He never felt more at home than sitting with his lover in a dimmed room, only lit enough to avoid tripping over objects scattered across the floor...

"I'm not intimidated," Anti swallowed, because- yes, he was definitely a little intimidated. He'd seen Dark rip out throats, he'd seen him shoot at rogue deities without even flinching at the possibility of retaliation. That wasn't Damien, and he didn't feel as though it was Celine either.

And yet... he felt as though he could trust Tenebreux with his life. He didn't feel threatened at all- just a little uncomfortable under that scrutinising gaze. He focused instead on Dark's hand- it hadn't changed. This was still the man that loved him. It was just hard to believe that he was sitting here laughing only moments after crying over the possibility of death.

A mirth-filled chuckle emanated from Tenebreux's lips as he smirked, regarding Anti carefully. The room was already hot and heavy from the sample-collecting fiasco earlier- oh dear God, Tenebreux had seen that, hadn't he?

**"Come now, mon amour- you knew that I was here. Every action, every touch, every... encounter. I know all that he knows. I feel all that he feels. And the only difference between us is that I'm _smarter_  than he is,"**

"Smarter?" Anti asked, closing his mouth hastily as Tenebreux shot him a glare. The man didn't like questions, clearly- much less being interrupted. Anti would find a way around this- he wanted to know all of Dark, even if all of Dark didn't want to know him. They were lovers, and... and Anti felt that some trust should come with that label. Some trust from  _everyone_  involved.

 **"Yes, smarter..."**  Tenebreux agreed.  **"I am not affected by emotions, or affection. I do not let attachment cloud my sense of purpose. That is how I am smarter than this culmination of beings,"**

"If you don't like affection, why do you use pet names?" Anti asked, genuinely curious. Tenebreux didn't seem to mind this question- maybe it was just the interruption Anti should steer clear of. Only a few more rounds of talking could tell...

Tenebreux shrugged.  **"It is true, is it not? While I am present in this form, with these souls, you are my darling. It is not like I have another,"**

"Right..." Anti sighed. "Right. Okay. Do you... do you think that Dark is dying?"

Tenebreux looked at him blankly.  **"Let me tell you a secret, Antithesis. This body, this form... it is already dead. Already non-functional, and useless. It is purely my energy that keeps it working. And until recently, it was working just fine. But then... then the child came along, see? Children take a lot of energy to create, and demons just aren't equipped to handle something of this... delicate nature,"**

Anti felt his heart sink. That... that made some more sense than just Dark's recount of 'weakness'. "So... so you're saying that Dark is dying because of our baby?"

To Anti's surprise, Tenebreux shook his head.  **"No, no... this form will not fail because of her. What the others are concerned about is that... that my energy will exhaust itself trying to carry two dead weights, keep them alive to spite the natural order. I am not like the other demons, mon amour. I am not afraid to die- but for some inconceivable reason, they... they think that a life with you is worth more than the promise of a peaceful afterlife,"**

"Afterlife?" Anti echoed, shaking his head. "I- sorry, okay, I swear I know English, it's just..."

Tenebreux laughed again- Anti couldn't tell if it was genuine or staged. It didn't sound altogether... human.  **"Of course you know, mon cheri... I was the one that taught you. But I cannot confirm any real religious concepts- they are all forged in some manner of truth, you see? There are many places where spirits reside- good places, terrible places... many in between. Your Damien and Celine believed in a heaven, Antithesis. Until they met you, they yearned to be freed from this prison..."**

He looked down at his body, examining it as if for the first time. He had an expression of disdain upon his face. His pitch black eyes just seemed so... emotionless. The laughter, the names... was he faking it for Anti's sake? He didn't hope so. What was he trying to accomplish, by treating Anti as if he really cared? Dark had warned him otherwise. And Anti for his life couldn't think of a motive...

 **"There is no motive,"**  Tenebreux said suddenly, regarding Anti coolly.  **"I am merely treating you as you might expect from a lover... forgive me if I am not experienced. The other demons, they respect me, but... but they did not always do so. I am, as humans would say... socially inept,"**

Anti let out a nervous chuckle, his grip tightening on Dark's hand subconsciously. "I... I get it. Sorry..."

Tenebreux leaned forward, passing through the mirror and taking Anti's other hand in his own. It was the same face- the same nose, the same thin lips... if he closed his eyes, it could almost be the same Dark. It  _was_  the same Dark.

Anti let out another breath. "Sorry."

Tenebreux tittered under his breath, cupping Anti's cheek.  **"Do not apologise, it is unbecoming. You seem to think that I dislike you, but... well, I have not told anybody who I really am, until now. You are the first- and that must count for something, oui?"**

"French," Anti realised, mentally kicking himself for not realising it sooner. "Your accent... you're French, aren't you?"

Tenebreux cracked a smile- and this time, Anti might have been hoping, but... it seemed genuine.

 **"Mais oui, mon cheri,"**  he agreed.  **"I am indeed originally from France. Herded over to the new world to bring them night terrors, and darkness... but that is unimportant. The child will be fine, so long as I am. And for all of their fears... I am not a weak demon, mon amour. I will prevail,"**

Anti let out a choked sigh, his heart having leapt into his throat again- he'd forgotten about why this had all started, focusing on getting to know Tenebreux better. But nothing brought him more joy than to have this reassurance- if a demon, the self proclaimed  _smartest_  part of Dark thought he'd make it- he would, right?

"Thank you," Anti sniffed, engulfing Tenebreux in a hug without even thinking to consider the ramifications- but the demon didn't flinch away as Anti might have expected. Though he didn't really... hug back, per se. Anti was just glad that his gesture had been acknowledged, instead of dismissed as Daniel might have done.

Daniel... that son of a bitch. For Tenebreux being so untouchable and awkward, Anti had certainly had less-pleasant experiences with other, more social demons.

 **"That is quite alright,"**  Tenebreux nodded, clearing his throat. It seemed that Anti had flustered him- but most probably not in the way that'd get him laid in regular circumstances.  **"I am going to leave you with him, Antithesis... although it might be best to head your separate ways for the night,"**

Anti nodded, biting his lip. Tenebreux felt even colder against his skin than Dark usually did- but it wasn't uncomfortable enough for him to want to let go. And then just like that, it... it melted away. Lights flickered back on, Dark's touch grew warmer- and the man's deep purple eyes snapped open in a brief moment of shock.

"You okay?" Anti asked in concern, but Dark shook away his worry. He looked fairly ruffled- but it didn't seem like that was the first time Tenebreux had taken full possession of his body.

"I'm fine, Darling, I'm fine," Dark murmured, his voice sounding higher after Anti's talk with the deep-voiced demon. "I just... feel displaced. It happens after things like... this,"

"When he possesses you?" Anti whispered.

Dark nodded. "Yes... but we should heed his advice, Dear. It is long past the hour of rest..."

Anti frowned. "You... you don't want to talk about it, do you?"

"There is nothing to say," Dark sighed. "He is... he acts as a separate entity to us. He believes that we are weaker, less able, but I... I know my own form as well as he does. I know my own weakness. And even though only time may tell..."

Anti shushed him, reluctantly letting go of the hand he'd been holding for minutes on end, standing from his seat. His breaths formed white fog on the surface of the mirror.

"I don't think you'll die, Darky," he murmured, pressing his forehead gently to the glass. "I don't want you to think that either. I think we'll get through this just fine, and we can laugh about it afterwards, and we'll have our beautiful baby girl..."

Dark's breath hitched in his throat as he sobbed quietly, reaching out and feeling the skin of Anti's forearm. Anti entwined their fingers again.

"It's going to be okay," Anti promised, able to feel Dark's cool breaths on his lips. "We're going to make it, Darky, I know we are..."

Dark leaned through the mirror, kissing Anti softly, hardly moving against his skin. He knew that Anti was lying- or at the very least, not considering the facts. But he couldn't bring himself to argue when he knew it only brought pain. This must have been Anti's way of coping with the news- and who was Dark to force him to see reality?

"Alright," Dark conceded, tears spilling from his eyes. "I... I'll keep that in mind. But you must get some rest, Darling, we've been talking for over four hours..."

Anti swallowed as he nodded, his own eyes a little red from crying. The news that your lover is so weak they think they're dying is never easy to deal with- but Anti had hope that he'd prevail. Hope that their future together would actually happen  _together_. With Dark, and Anti, and little Desiree... A family.

"We can teach her how to walk," Anti sniffed, looking at Dark's bump with tears in his eyes. "And talk, and... and Marvin can do magic tricks for her, and Host can read bedtime stories..."

"Darling-"

"And Chase can babysit for us when we get tired," Anti continued, meeting Dark's sorrowful eyes. "And the doctors are going to make sure she grows up healthy, and strong..."

Dark smiled softly- it was a sad smile, but Anti liked to believe that the thoughts running through Dark's mind were filled with happiness. Thoughts of their little girl- what she'd look like, how she'd dress, how she'd act around all of her uncles as she grew older...

"And you're going to be there for it," Anti promised. "All of it- I know you are."

Dark's breath hitched as he wiped his tears once more, letting Anti peck his lips one more time. He let out a deep sigh.

"I... I believe you," Dark smiled. "Now- I'm going to let you go, and... and you can go talk to your brothers. Tell them I'm proud,"

Anti nodded, inching away from the mirror, moving his chair aside. "Okay... when will I see you again?"

Dark's smile widened. "I'll call in tomorrow, Dear,"

"Really?" Anti smiled. "I can't wait,"

Dark let out a low chuckle. "Neither can I, my sweet... good night, Anti,"

"Night," Anti finished, watching a little sadly as the mirror's image slowly faded. He saw himself again- bags under his eyes, his hair messy and damp with sweat, the cut on his throat almost fully healed over now. He missed Dark already... but he'd honour his lover's wishes. It wasn't all that late- and Anti still had time to check in with his brothers. It had been almost two days since he'd last seen them- and that wasn't the best start to a new, healthy family dynamic.

On the other side of the mirror, Dark's smile dropped. He let out a winded sigh, inching his chair back and standing from his seat. "You can come in, Amy,"

The door creaked open, and Amy entered with a bottle of water- she looked more than a little lost.

"What was-?"

"Tenebreux locked you out," Dark muttered, biting his lip. "He doesn't like talking to strangers,"

"But he talked to Anti," Amy frowned.

Dark smiled softly. "Yes... and it warms my heart that he truly made an effort. But he's known Anti for almost a decade, Amy- he's been part of our relationship from day one. He knows the man, inside and out- I believe he trusts him, at the very least."

"I'm glad," Amy sighed, looking over Dark's weary expression with concern in her eyes. "You've been crying again..."

"I told him." Dark sniffed, fidgeting with his fingers. "About... what Doc said to me,"

Amy nodded grimly. "I had... a suspicion. But he doesn't seem to think you really are... dying,"

"He's always been a little naive," Dark sighed. "And I loved him for it. I still do, even when... even when it may end in tears. He is simply so carefree that it rubs away on you, you know?"

"I know," Amy agreed. "Do you need any help getting to bed?"

"No, no, I should be fine," Dark smiled. "Thank you again, Amy, for everything,"

She shrugged. "I only brought you water, Dark,"

"You provided company and trust when it was limited to me," Dark countered, watching contently as Amy's cheeks pinked at the praise. "I should be thanking you for more,"

Amy smiled as she left the room, flicking the light off on her way. They had a busy day tomorrow, after all- Dark didn't need any extra distractions. She was pleased to hear the sound of soft snoring echoing as she walked downstairs...

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Who are you two supposed to be?" Anti asked as he stepped out of his room, catching sight of the strange pair he'd seen milling in the hallway earlier. They seemed familiar- like amalgamations of people he already knew, but he'd wait until they identified themselves before jumping to conclusions. Maybe Mark and Jack had gone crazy, recycling some old ideas- but he doubted it.

"I'm Necromancer," the purple/green haired one spoke, offering Anti a hug. The glitch accepted it, if a little warily- but something about the way these arms crept around his shoulders reminded him of... Robbie. Robbie, of  _course_ \- Necromancer was a fusion. And that must mean-

"Marvin, Robbie- right?" Anti guessed. Nobody else would be fool enough to wear that cape where the Jims could see. Necro smiled wryly.

"And I am the President," Necro's friend spoke- and this one was a little easier to guess. Nobody else around here had red hair, or wore bandages around their eyes.

"Yan, and Host?" Anti asked. President nodded his affirmation. Anti had never seen Host in a skirt- it kind of suited him, objectively. But of course, the fusion probably didn't want to hear that from the likes of him.

Anti let out a low whistle, looking between the pair curiously. It couldn't be coincidence that these two fusions were made of two couples- and the way Necro's hand was being held in President's own was telling that there was definitely something going on between them. It was... intriguing. "So this is what the doctors call 'therapy'... is it working?"

"Yes," Necro smiled, his fingers entwining more with President's as they tightened around his hand. "It's... widening our perspectives,"

"It is indeed helping us a lot," President agreed with a half-smile, looking adoringly down at the slightly shorter fusion. "How was your time with Dark?"

"It was very morbid," Anti sighed, thinking back to the conversation he'd had with Tenebreux. With Dark, where he'd first been told about the whole... dying, thing. "He seems to think... that he's dying. But he's Dark- he can't just... die, like that."

He sighed aloud, staring at his feet. "I don't want to believe it,"

President frowned, reaching to place his other hand reassuringly on Anti's shoulder. "I... I'm so sorry, Antithesis. I wish there was I way I could soothe your worries, but... it is out of my hands."

"It'll be fine, I'm sure," Anti muttered, not knowing who he was trying to convince here. "He's an ego, right? Even if he dies, he won't... he won't be gone. He can't be."

"I hope so," Necro agreed, looking like he had somewhere else to be. He seemed a little impatient- that must have been his Marvin shining through. "Anti- have you... seen Chase up here?"

"No," Anti answered, tilting his head to one side in wonder. He was really just glad for the distraction- thinking about Dark dying wasn't productive, nor was it pleasant. "Why, what's up?"

"President has reason to believe that Chase requires an intervention," President sighed. "You already know that Robbie didn't care to be treated like a child- the newest Septiceye is in danger of receiving the same treatment. Necromancer wants Chase to be aware of the fact that not everybody likes to be babied,"

Anti sighed as he nodded. It was true- Chase had practically adopted that new ego already. Though BingSepticeye didn't seem to mind- but then, neither had Robbie until it had started to involve his love life. He found that he agreed- Chase could be a little overbearing at times, but he had a good heart.

"Ahh," Anti replied, nodding. "I... I get it. I haven't seen him, but-"

Necro tilted his head to the side as Anti cut himself off, green eyes wide, staring at something behind him as if he'd seen a ghost. Necro turned to see what was happening- a man stood in the hallway- flushed hands in his pockets, black hair falling into his face. His sclera were red, his iris glowing yellow- and some part of him looked hauntingly familiar. Yet Necro couldn't quite place it...

"Hi..." the man started sheepishly- he was British. He looked a little nervous, defensive- and he flinched as Anti nudged Necro aside, walking over to him. The next thing the fusion knew, Anti had engulfed the flame-covered man in a bone-crushing hug.

"You're alive," Anti breathed, relief evident in his tone. "I mean, I... I'm sorry, Blaze, for everything, I-"

The man, Blaze, let out a little laugh. He pulled back from the hug, folding his arms. He was taller than Anti, much taller- and just a tad more intimidating. Necro didn't know whether to be afraid or intrigued. Anti hadn't had any friends before he returned, had he?

"Not even a 'hello'?" Blaze asked. "Just jumping right into the apologies? You must be serious... that, or you want something out of me. Whatever- how long has it been?"

"Since you died?" Anti questioned, shivering a little as he counted back the days. "About... about two months. Listen, really, I'm-"

"For God's sake Anti, please shut up," Blaze hushed, rolling his eyes. "I could care less that you knifed me. You've clearly been beating yourself up about it- besides, it's Daniel you should apologise to. He always went on about what he'd do to you if you hurt me..."

Anti scowled. "I'm not apologising to that creep- neither should you, until you learn what he did after I broke up your little fusion... why do you stay with him, Blaze?"

Blaze's features softened in surprise. "I... what?"

"Why don't you come downstairs?" President offered, leading Necro over and placing a hand on Blaze's shoulder. Part of him recognised the man, after all- Yan had seen a glimpse of him after Anti had stabbed him to death. He was Phil's alter- the reason this whole mess had started in the first place. He had the right to know what kind of disrepair this realm had fallen into in his absence.

"Who the fuck are you supposed to be?" Blaze snapped suddenly, recoiling. It was as though, somehow, he trusted Anti more than anyone else here. Huh. "What did Daniel do? Anti, I really need to find him-"

"I... I can't help you there," Anti sighed, shaking his head. "But I can fill you in. Nobody's seen him since the battle..."

Blaze's hand clamped to his mouth. "He- battle?!"

"It's a long story," Necro muttered, sending the most reassuring smile he could manage in Blaze's direction. Poor guy was clearly in shock. "Come downstairs... Anti, should we get... Halter?"

Anti's eyes widened in realisation. "Oh," he muttered. "Oh- okay, hold on, I'll get him,"

Anti reluctantly moved past Blaze to venture downstairs, and the fire ego looked at the two fusions before him curiously. His eyes betrayed his wariness.

"Where did he-?"

"You'll want to meet Halter," President supplied. "But in the meantime- we should convene downstairs. I look forward to hearing about any apparent friend of our resident glitch..."

Blaze scoffed, but let them lead him down the stairs anyway. "Friend... now that's an overstatement. By all rights he revoked his friendship when he came to kill me in the Groundlands, but..."

"But?" Necro probed.

Blaze shrugged. "He understood me when nobody else did. That has to count for something, right?"

President smiled in Necro's direction, reminded of a certain friendship that had been forged in very similar circumstances. Necro's lips twitched in return.

"Yes," President agreed. "I understand,"

After all- even his own components didn't really understand Necro without him. Yan didn't understand Marvin's habit of self-deprecation, nor know how to respond- and Host didn't really understand Robbie's signals most of the time. But President understood- and nobody else, not even the people who'd started this could match him.

This relationship, this arrangement- it was perfect. They hadn't had any fights, nor did they argue. President knew exactly what Necro wanted- and Necro seemed to feel the same around President. Nobody else understood them. Nobody but President and Necro.

And it sounded a little selfish, but President felt that it should stay this way for a while. It was best for both of them, right? Necro loved him. And he could love Necro better than they could- better than Host and Yan could love Marvin and Robbie. They'd be happier like this.  _Together._

President shot Necro a winning smile, not even noticing the wary look on the other fusion's face.

**~Groundlands~**

"Benjamin!"

"Coming, Chef," Xyler sighed. He'd come back to work in the past few days, finding nothing of interest in the Void. It was strange- he hadn't exited the realm through a door, or a passage. He'd just woken up in his room, where he'd lived for the past four years, no evidence around him suggesting it was any more than a dream.

But the people he'd met, their faces- they still lingered in his mind. The email he'd sent to Chef had been real- and sent from an official Google employee, apparently. 

_Or perhaps, from Google itself?_

He still didn't know much about what was happening. He didn't know anything about egos, or demons- he only knew that he'd needed to find Dark, and Dark wasn't there.

But Dark was here- here in Los Angeles, apparently. Xyler hadn't been able to believe it when he'd told Chef where he'd been- though Dark himself hadn't come by, one of Chef's friends admitted that he was staying with her for the duration of his pregnancy. Apparently, Wilford had also come by while Xyler was away. He'd only been gone for the better half of a week- how had this all fallen apart so quickly?

Dark's friend was coming by again today- Chef had agreed to host a wedding in the restaurant in a mere two weeks from now. It wasn't an unusual occurrence- Chef allowed wedding receptions all the time, but this time was a little more... special. Dark's friend, whoever she was, was planning a wedding... and Xyler had the feeling it had something to do with the man himself.

Was he being married to his lover back in the Void? Xyler certainly hoped he wasn't marrying anyone else- the poor green-haired man he'd seen would be crushed. Yet only time could tell- the minutes ticked on. They were due to arrive any second now.

Xyler sighed as he stood by Chef's side, watching the waterfront as people milled around below them. It was a nice place- a nice place to eat, to drink with friends... if only Xyler had friends to do these things with. He was horribly awkward- he hadn't really spoken to anybody but colleagues and Chef since the seventies, and it definitely showed. But those in the Void... they'd welcomed him as if he was normal.

They'd been willing to accept him as an acquaintance- and that was something that Xyler couldn't forget about, no matter how he wished it. It just... it just wasn't his place. He belonged in the real world, working. Or better yet, whatever afterlife was waiting for the century-old man...

"What are you smilin' at, huh?" Chef scoffed playfully. In all these years, they'd grown a special sort of bond- they poked fun at each other, they were open to criticism- they both knew that they were alone in this changing world of technologies and science. That even though they may drive each other up the wall, annoying the other to no end- they had more in common than most could imagine.

Xyler sighed once more. "A... friend, I'd made. On my little vacation,"

"Bah," Chef muttered, shaking his head. "Here you go again, talkin' about the blue boy... I can set you up with the real guy, Benjamin. We've worked together before,"

"Yes, I know," Xyler sighed. "But I don't want that- I'm not even sure I want Blank. These emotions are irrational and uncalled for-"

"Yeah, all relationships are irrational," Chef interrupted, peering down at a group of people in particular. Xyler was about to look- but Chef turned, ushering him to the door. "Looks like you're in luck, Romeo, kid's here himself,"

"I- what?" Xyler asked. "I'm not sure I know what you-"

"Look, you sit out the back- get Conroy to bring some water, and I'll get them inside for you," Chef ordered, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. Xyler let out a distressed sigh, walking over to one of the waitresses- Maggie was probably the closest he really had to a friend around here, though they never met outside of work. She beamed at him as he approached.

"Hey Ben," she greeted. "How was vacation?"

"It was... well, it was certainly thrilling while it lasted," Benjamin answered. Her features lit up as she grinned, raising her eyebrows at him. She'd always had a knack of just  _knowing_  when he was keeping secrets from her.

"You met someone," she accused, looking positively over the moon, just at the thought of it. Xyler felt his heart flutter in his chest.

"I-"

"Shut up," Maggie commanded. "You can't lie to me- who are they? What's their name?"

Xyler sighed deeply, looking at his feet. He didn't really want to divulge this information- but he knew that Maggie wouldn't tell anyone. She didn't have many friends either- only a few girls she had lunch with occasionally and a boyfriend she'd been seeing for two years now. Gossip just wasn't usually her thing.

"His name... is Blank," Xyler muttered, feeling ashamed.

She cocked her head to one side. "Blank? That's... okay, weird name, but I won't judge. Is he cute?"

Xyler smiled- how could he not? He'd unfortunately seen many homophobic jerks in his time, and even though he'd never really identified with the community before, he'd always felt offended for their sake. As someone who worked as a butler from his teens onward, he'd never really been treated with the kindness that today's society indulged in. He felt closer to the gay community than ever- and not only because he now found himself with growing feelings for another man.

But Maggie understood- she was straight, she assured him. But she didn't need to be part of a community to support its rights.

"He's quite attractive, yes," Xyler admitted. "Particularly his smile... but I can't help but feel as though it's rather soon to feel this attraction. We've barely even spoken, Marge..."

She slapped his arm playfully, sending him a glare. "It's Maggie, not Marge- not Margaret either, before you try anything."

Xyler let out a small laugh. "My apologies, Maggie... but I mean it, there's no point in getting excited. I'm not looking to pursue a relationship right now,"

"For what?" Maggie demanded, folding her arms. "You've worked here since we opened, and you're close enough with Rexx that he lets you vacation when you want. You work every single day, fourteen hours per shift- sometimes even overnight when you clean. You must be loaded in the bank account- and don't you ever get lonely?"

"Of course I do," Xyler sighed again, looking hesitantly over at the doorway. "Look, I'm afraid I'll have to cut this short- Chef wants me in the back, could you bring me some pitchers of water?"

Maggie smirked as she started walking in the direction of the restaurant bar. "You'll have to tell me sooner or later, Ben- you can't avoid this forever,"

Xyler shook his head, turning on his heel and walking through the kitchen door. The back room was usually used by members of the staff on their lunch break- those who stayed in, anyway. But everyone had already gone on break for the day- and nobody else was due to start working until the cleanup crew at 2am. The back room would be free for a few hours at least, before crew members began to take their leave.

Xyler sat down, figuring that Chef wanted him to stay here and meet the people who'd be organising the wedding reception. He'd be one of the staff involved in setting up, after all- and what he'd said before, about the kid being here... he didn't mean Blank's original, did he?

He flinched when the door opened- but it was only Maggie. She held a tray with several glasses, three pitchers of water, and some folded napkins. She chuckled as she set it down before him.

"What are you so afraid of, Benny?" She teased. "You're a sweet guy- you're kind and polite, and you're a gentleman if ever I saw one. And don't try to act like you aren't a looker- if you try, you could probably have anyone you wanted,"

"I don't know what I want," Xyler said truthfully. That statement... it meant a lot more than just trouble in his romantic life. He didn't know who he was- Benjamin, the former butler of Mark Doom- or Xyler, an ego modelled after one Tyler Scheid? Did he belong here, in this unforgiving world of change, where most of his generation were either suffering through illness or buried six feet under? Or did he belong in the Void, with the other egos?

Xyler just wasn't sure. He flinched again at the harsh creak of the door, and Maggie stood a little straighter. She peered curiously at the newcomers.

"Robert?" She questioned, excitement evident in her tone. Chef waved his hand.

"They're here to plan a wedding, Conroy- no new employees yet,"

"Oh," she sighed. Xyler knew she'd been waiting for some fresh faces around here- it was her job to train the new blood, after all. Xyler had been in charge of new recruits for a while before Chef had realised that his social skills were severely inadequate- then, Maggie had gotten a promotion. She'd been here nearly as long as he had, after all.

Four people walked in as Maggie left- and with each face, Xyler felt his heartbeat quicken. He knew these people- and yet, somehow, he didn't know any of them at all.

"Hey," a woman greeted. She had brown hair that fell to her shoulders, possibly the least recognisable out of the group of newcomers- but Xyler still felt as though he'd seen her before. He had a sense of deja vu he wished he could place, but his memories betrayed him. She took a seat opposite him, looking at him curiously.

"Are you Benjamin?" She asked him.

Xyler felt his palms start to sweat. "H-how did you know my name?"

She was about to answer him when another man walked inside- this one very familiar. It was Mark Doom- and yet... it wasn't Mark Doom at all. Similar features, same nose- but different in the way he spoke, dressed, and walked. A descendant, perhaps. Was this the original of the egos he'd met in that manor? Of Google, and Dr. Iplier?

He caught Xyler's eye. "Wow, you really do look like Tyler,"

Well... he supposed that settled it.

Xyler did a double take as he caught sight of the next person- a woman, clearly. Her skin was pale and almost grey, her hair falling gently into her face. She looked as though she was heavily pregnant, her dress stopping just above the ankle. She pursed her lips as she saw him.

Was that... it couldn't have been his old master's wife. She had the same look as Dark did- the same piercing eyes, the same nose. But her cheeks were rounded, and her jaw was softer. She certainly resembled Celine Doom- but she  _couldn't_ be. Could she?

She nodded his way, taking a seat next to the other woman that had entered. "Benjamin... it's been a while,"

"Madam, I'm not sure I-"

Xyler cut himself off. The next person to walk into the room was none other than Blank- or, more accurately, Ethan. Blank's original. It was the same face, and the same brows- but his hair was brown and styled differently, and his eyes were deep green instead of black. The rational explanation did nothing to soothe his jumping nerves as the man took a seat beside him, looking at him strangely.

Why, oh  _why_  did he have to sit beside him?

"I didn't believe it but... damn. Same face- but you've got a smaller nose than Ty does,"

"Ethan, shh," the woman interceded, watching as Xyler turned red. "Sorry about him,"

Ethan rolled his eyes in response. Well, one thing that Ethan and his ego had in common was their attitude, apparently... 

"Yeah, yeah- meet Benjamin," Chef said, taking his own seat on the other side of Xyler. "I assume you know all about us, right? Amy told you?"

"Dark told us," Ethan put forward. Xyler peered curiously at the woman again- so it  _was_  Dark. He hadn't known that Dark could take a feminine form like this, but... well, he supposed he'd seen Dark do stranger things. It would explain the pregnancy, anyway- and that was something that had been eating away at Xyler for a while.

"Right," Chef sighed. "Well, if you have questions, ask away now,"

"Are you related to Tyler?" Ethan asked Xyler directly. "Because you two look... almost identical,"

Xyler swallowed. "I'm afraid I don't know- I never had offspring, nor any siblings. Both of my parents and an estranged uncle died in the war..."

"Oh... sorry," Ethan muttered quietly, looking a little ashamed of asking. Xyler shook his head.

"It's been over sixty years, E-Ethan," he stuttered, berating himself for messing up his words. "It is fine, I assure you."

"Why didn't you tell us you were the actual chef?" The man who could only be Mark asked, looking a little betrayed.

Chef shrugged. "Didn't seem like something you'd hear in normal conversation. Not every day you see a man born in the 1890s takin' an acting job,"

"Fair enough," Amy smiled. She seemed to be the most stable person here- Mark looked lost, and Ethan looked uncomfortable. Dark was still staring at Xyler, and it was definitely unnerving him. He couldn't help but stare back.

Suddenly, Dark's lips twisted into a sneer. "What are you two looking at, hm?"

Chef let out a laugh. Xyler hadn't noticed until now that he'd noticed just who Dark resembled as well.

"You're her, aren't you?" He assumed, tapping his fingers idly on the table. "Mark's trophy wife... still running around with that Private?"

"He was a Colonel," Dark replied coolly, folding her arms. Xyler gulped in worry- he hoped that she didn't think he condoned this behaviour. "And no- not that it concerns you, you sorry excuse for a Chef..."

"Dark, please," Amy tried to soothe, giving her a pointed look. Dark appeared to reassess the situation, inclining her head in a way that suggested bad things might happen if Chef continued. He wisely remained silent.

"What's this about?" Mark sighed, looking between the two old acquaintances tiredly. "Is there going to be a problem?"

"Trying to get rid of me?" Dark accused, glaring at Mark intensely. "I am being diplomatic-"

"Not you, calm down." Mark interrupted. "Just- what happened. Why are you two talking crap to each other?"

"Robert believed that I was cheating on my husband," Dark explained, shifting her glare to Chef again. "He informed my husband of his theories- and... and the man I thought I loved proceeded to beat me. I was  _crying_ ,"

Dark's lower lip trembled, her makeup starting to smear a little. "I was  _broken_ , that day. I excused it as a drug-induced rage, but it didn't stop him from doing it again, and  _again_..."

Mark was silent- Amy, too. Ethan hadn't said a word in minutes. It seemed that this knowledge wasn't common- oh, dear...

Xyler had known. There was evidence all through Mark's recount of the tale, which he'd always used to bring up at the mention of romance. He focused on how she'd run off with his cousin- how he'd tried to love her, only for her to leave him like everyone else. He didn't mention the ruffled sheets, the traces of blood Xyler had cleaned from the manor's tiles. He didn't speak about why she left him, when everyone in that damned house knew the reason all too well. To this day, Xyler felt that the only man he'd been trying to fool was himself.

"Look, I'm sorry about what that asshole did to you, but it wasn't exactly a lie," Chef huffed, though he looked like he showed a little remorse. It was... well, a little out of character for him, Xyler knew. But Dark didn't seem to appreciate the gesture.

Her eyes narrowed. "Yes, actually, it was. I didn't start sleeping with Will until the pain grew too much to bear. And if speaking directly to me as a woman is going to change your views of me, I am quite happy to continue this discussion as a man."

"Dark-"

"I am going to wait outside," Dark replied firmly, cutting Amy off as she stood shakily from her seat. It was all Xyler could do to help her- he rose to his feet, taking her by the arm and opening the door with a sigh. He knew how tough Chef could be to work with- and for all of Dark's ways of intimidation, they simply didn't work for her in this state of being. Perhaps she was exhausted- perhaps she was simply incapable. But Xyler knew firsthand just how easily Dark was able to have her way.

"Benjamin?" Dark sniffed, wiping her eyes. A line of black eyeliner smeared onto her hand- oh, dear...

"I'm here to assist you," he sighed reluctantly, shooting Chef a warning look. "I won't take you back there- not unless you agree to go. I know that Chef can be... difficult,"

"He's a conniving, gossip-spreading piece of shit," Dark muttered, breaking free of Xyler's hold. "Thank you- I can handle myself,"

Benjamin let out a winded sigh, just as Maggie rounded the corner. Her eyes widened as she saw Dark- but before Benjamin could explain, she'd approached them, her arms laden with old tablecloths.

"Ben- who's this?"

The way she said that- almost as if she thought she knew what was happening. Oh, if only Xyler could tell her just how wrong she probably was. As it was, he probably didn't have the facts right himself...

"I'm-"

"She's an... old friend of mine," Xyler said, silently urging Dark to keep quiet. If she could still read minds like in the seventies, it would be much easier to get his point across. She remained silent, only nodding in agreement, seeming to have gotten the message.

"Ah... I didn't know you had friends, Benny," Maggie teased. Oh, how Xyler wished she'd shut up...

"We go way back," Dark lied smoothly. "But today I was here on-"

"She's helping plan the wedding," Xyler interrupted again, thinking to himself that if Dark wasn't pregnant he'd step on her foot. But he was against violence of all kinds- against men, women, children, animals... after so many years spent in this cruel world, he'd come to realise that there were enough problems in the world without violence on top of it.

"Oh," Maggie sighed, seeming a little disappointed. Had she thought they'd been here on a date of some kind? Surely not- Xyler had just admitted to having feelings for a man to her. "Yours?"

Dark's lips twisted, a smirk gracing her lips. "Hardly, though it is for my... my nephew. Robert is... an old family friend,"

"Weird," Maggie commented, tilting her head to one side. "I didn't think those two even had friends,"

Xyler was about to speak up again- but he heard himself being called from the back room. Chef must need him for something- the measurements of the place, the guest list... He let out a sigh.

"Are you sure you'll be alright-?" He asked Dark, knowing she wouldn't want to follow- but she shook him away.

"I'll be perfectly fine, Benjamin," she huffed. "I'm pregnant, not disabled,"

"Well, actually-" he started, but Dark cut him off with a sharp glare.

"I will be  **fine** ," Dark insisted. Xyler hastily shut his mouth.

Maggie seemed amused by the encounter, tapping her fingers on her forearm in thought. "You can leave her with me- I'll get her a chair,"

Xyler met her eyes warily. "I... alright. Okay..."

As Benjamin left the room, Dark groaned. How could that chef have the gall to call her out like that in front of Mark, and Amy, and Ethan? Did he have no sense of discretion? How had he figured out her real identity- was she so easy to read?

"Um... hi, I'm Maggie Conroy," the other woman introduced. She was fairly pretty- she had black hair in a bun, her black and white uniform contrasting nicely with the light brown colouring of her skin. She had a kind smile- and that was a feature Dark sometimes wished that more people possessed.

She took the hand that was offered to her, shaking it. "It's nice to meet you, Maggie... my name is Diane,"

Of course, it wasn't- but that was the name that Seán had given to her at the airport, so it was the name she'd adapt when in public. The name had a regal air- it impressed people, showed that she was confident. It certainly seemed to impress the waitress before her, if her happy smile was any indication.

"Diane is a nice name," she smiled. "Better than 'Margaret', anyways... hey, have you been crying?"

Dark sighed, looking at the smear of makeup on her wrist. She should have known better than to wipe it away with her hand- she should have gotten tissues, or special wipes- she was hardly an amateur at this, despite being a little out of practice...

She sniffed. "I... I suppose I'm having a trying day,"

"I'll say," Maggie huffed, taking Dark hesitantly by the arm. "Come on, the bathrooms are this way. Do you want to borrow some of my makeup?"

"You'd... you'd do that, for a stranger?" Dark shuddered, walking along with Maggie in the direction of the toilets.

Maggie tittered under her breath. "Sweetie, a friend of Ben's is a friend of mine. Plus, I know it can be tough getting through a pregnancy- and believe me, nobody makes it without crying at least a little,"

Dark grabbed a wad of tissue paper, pressing it to her features as Maggie dug through her bag, probably to find more makeup for Dark to use. She sniffed, her tears soaking through the fabric- this wasn't  _her_. There was something wrong, something terribly wrong, and... and she knew it.

"H-how many children do you have?" Dark asked, dabbing at the blush on her cheeks.

"Two," Maggie smiled. "Six and three. Both to different fathers, but... well, that's a long story. You?"

Dark smiled wryly, though she soon let out a sob. "This is m-my first..."

"Boy or girl?" Maggie probed. "Can I feel?"

Dark nodded feebly, looking at the small selection of lipsticks and mascaras laid before her. These colours were brighter than she usually picked- but Maggie was being so  _kind_... Part of Dark felt rude to refuse the hospitality. She picked up the deepest red she could see.

"Girl," Dark muttered, wiping a stray tear as it cascaded down her cheek. It seemed that she wasn't so fine at all after Anti's words to her last night. Of the other egos all being there, watching her baby girl grow older... Dark felt it wasn't fair to imagine in such vivid detail what would happen. It was like a vision- but it couldn't be. Her visions had never conflicted before...

Maggie frowned a little at the lack of movement in Dark's tummy- but she appeared to shake it off. "Is she a kicker?"

Dark allowed herself to chuckle a little, caressing her bump softly. "Oh, she's usually full of life and energy... I imagine she's taken a nap. She... she drove us crazy on the drive here..."

Dark finished applying her lipstick, smacking her lips together. It was... not bad. Certainly a lot more vibrant than the wine red she usually wore, but she seemed to pull it off well. She smiled softly at Maggie, wiping the sides of her eyes.

"Thank you," Dark said sincerely. Those two words simply couldn't convey her feelings well enough...

"It's not a problem," Maggie replied, waving away Dark's thanks. "Really- but if it's not too much to ask, I... was it Ben that made you cry back there?"

"What?" Dark asked, cocking her head to the side. "I- no, no it wasn't Benjamin. It was just... just something that Robert said to me. See, we haven't always been...  _friendly_ ,"

In fact, Dark couldn't recall a time that they were.

"What happened?" Maggie asked sympathetically. Dark shook her head.

"Please- I don't feel right to keep you like this. You must have something to get to- work, or a date..."

Maggie let out a laugh. "That's not gonna work on me, sweetie. I'm already clocked out, just running a few extra errands around here. Kids are with my boyfriend. Spill."

Dark bit her lip, staring down at her feet. She couldn't help but catch her bump on the way. Mark had always wanted a child... looking back, she was thankful she'd never managed it.

"Robert, he... used to work as the personal chef for my husband and I," Dark swallowed. "He was excellent at his job, but... but he kept up with what was happening in the house, too. He noticed that I was getting closer to m-my husband's cousin, and... and he told him I was cheating on him,"

Maggie let out a little gasp. "But- really? Rob doesn't seem like the type to... do that. Not that I'm doubting you- people change, I get that..."

Dark nodded sorrowfully. "Yes, I... I'm sure he's  _changed_. But s-something about the sight of him still..."

She met Maggie's eyes cautiously, sweeping her mind. She seemed genuine- kind, and generous, and willing to accept her for who she was. And there wasn't much one could really hide from a demon in their mind.

Dark swallowed. "My husband, he... he was unstable. His mother died when he was young, and he had no sense of right, or wrong... he was in with all the wrong crowds. He was... he was an actor,"

Dark was crying again- at least she hadn't put on any eye makeup- and poor Maggie looked as though she was afraid to give the hug she so desperately wanted to give. Dark made it easy on her, wrapping her pale arms gently around the other woman. Maggie wasted no time in hugging her back.

"He got... he got involved with drugs. Bad drugs- worse than cocaine, worse than LSD... he wouldn't tell me the name. He drank, too..."

"Jesus..." Maggie whispered. "I... I'm so sorry you had to live through that,"

"It was m-many years ago," Dark sniffed. "But I still... I feel so helpless when people act like him. When people disregard m-my feelings, or raise their hand to me, or put on that s-stupid  _tone_..."

Dark huffed in annoyance at her own weakness, stepping back from Maggie. The other woman looked close to tears herself.

"And it's h-his fault," Dark muttered. "R-Robert's stupid rumours that brought us to this... the least he could do is apologise."

"I had no idea," Maggie uttered softly. "I... sweetie, do you need anything? Coffee, tea?"

"I must refuse your hospitality-" Dark started, but Maggie only scoffed at her in response.

"It's situations like these where I buy a girl a drink," Maggie sighed. "But I'm not going to let a pregnant woman do that- so I'll get you something else. Come on, pick something from the bakery- we'll talk about it over supper,"

Dark still felt uneasy. She'd practically unloaded all of her emotional anguish onto a stranger- wasn't this what she had Anti for? He usually served as the perfect distraction, helping her move through her day with a little more positivity and spring in her step than otherwise. But Anti wasn't here. She should erase this girl's memories- she shouldn't let this information get out.

She let her hand linger a little longer on Maggie's arm, but... but she couldn't do it. She let her hand drop to her side, giving Maggie an appreciative smile.

All this woman wanted to do was help another girl through a tough spot. And Celine had never had any female friends to talk to, in all these years... she'd only had Mark, her brother, and Will. And two of those three had never listened to a single word she'd said.

Perhaps, tonight... it was time to change that.

"Okay," Dark agreed. "Though I insist I must pay you back,"

Maggie let out another laugh- she was full of cheeriness, wasn't she? It was a quality Dark admired in others, while in the past she might have called it foolish. She wished she had that quality- wished she could look past her inevitable death and put on a smile so fake she believed in it.

But it wasn't meant to be.

"Charity doesn't work like that," Maggie winked.

Well... Dark supposed she had a point there.


	34. Chapter 33

 

**~Void~**

"You're a fusion?" Blaze asked curiously, tilting his head as he looked over the four-armed man before him. The taller ego nodded, seemingly nervous- he was twiddling all four of his thumbs. His four eyes blinked awkwardly.

This, it seemed, was the Halter that Anti wanted him to meet. Blaze didn't know what the name meant, or its significance- he didn't even know who Halter was. But he looked familiar- something about the dimples by his lips, the curve of his almond shaped eyes... the wider, rounder eyes atop those. Strange, yes- but definitely familiar. Almost as if Blaze had seen him before...

"Yep," Halter affirmed with a sigh, looking almost reluctant to agree. "Dan and Phil's relationship, as seen by... by the fans. I'm a little over two months old,"

"Well, that explains it," Blaze muttered. He was looking at someone with Daniel's features-  _Dan_ 's features. No wonder he looked so familiar. "Why do you have so many arms, though? When Daniel and I fused to make Hellfire, we only had one set of... everything,"

"We think it's because both of our components are so different," the other fusion who'd introduced himself as 'Septiplier' spoke up. He too had four arms, four eyes... only two legs though. Blaze didn't really understand the rules when it came to things like this just yet.

"I mean... in my case, both Mark and Jack grew up on completely different continents, learning different languages, seeing the world in different ways. Doing things differently. It makes sense that I have different qualities, and the ones that weren't similar enough to merge just sort of... duplicated,"

"And Dan and Phil see the world differently, too," Halter agreed, smiling up at the other fusion. "I'm a little more stable than Septiplier, being... well, having only one nationality. But I think it's cute when he mixes dialects,"

Septiplier smiled appreciatively, leaning down to press a kiss to Halter's cheek- all four of his eyes fluttered closed during the motion. "Thanks, baby."

"So... you two are dating?" Blaze put together, eyeing the pair with curiosity. He wondered if that ever got weird- if the extra arms got in the way of some touches, if the extra eyes distorted their vision at all. If they had any other extra parts that made it weird in the bedroom... "How long?"

"Two weeks," Septiplier proclaimed proudly, clapping Halter on the back... with two hands. This was definitely going to be something to get used to. "Officially, anyway. But that's beside the point- you know both of his components?"

Blaze shrugged, putting the strange physical proportions of the other egos before him out of his mind. He guessed it was some kind of rude- after all, they hadn't said anything about him being covered in flames, despite how abnormal it was. "Yeah, you could say that... I'm Phil's alter. A couple months ago, I... I ended up in the Groundlands with Dan, and Phil ended up here. But you knew about Phil, I guess..."

"Yeah," Septiplier agreed. "He really helped me out of a dark place- did you know him well?"

Blaze sighed. "I only really talked to him once, and we were kinda trying not to get impaled,"

Anti looked guilty as he sighed to himself, sitting beside Blaze on the couch with a grunt. He hadn't stopped moping the entire time Blaze had been here- there was definitely something he wanted to address between them. And Blaze had an inkling of what that something was...

"Yeah, sorry about that..."

"Why exactly were you so mad, anyway?" Blaze asked, reaching out to put his hand on Anti's shoulder. He knew he should be more hurt by this- he knew he probably shouldn't have forgiven Anti at all for what he'd done. But he was a friend- and Blaze had always known about his mental instabilities. He'd known exactly what he was getting into, befriending a loose cannon like that.

At the time, Blaze had thought they were two peas in a pod. Well, it still stood- but Anti was perhaps a little more extreme than he'd first expected. Not too extreme, though. He seemed to have calmed down a lot since Blaze last saw him- maybe having these other egos around had knocked some sense into him...

"I just felt..." Anti started, fists clenched and shaking against his thighs- yet somehow, Blaze didn't feel frightened at all. "I don't know, betrayed? Not even by you, not really, but..."

"But?" Blaze echoed, just trying to understand. Anti had been his friend- and Anti clearly didn't want to let their relationship go just yet. He was trying to hide it, but Blaze had been around long enough to know that Anti was trying to make him comfortable here. Giving him people to meet, giving him places to sit... but Blaze had to leave, regardless of what Anti wanted from him. He needed to find Daniel- they hadn't ever been apart for more than a few days, but two  _months_...

"Look, I tried to kill myself almost two years ago," Anti sighed, unaware of Blaze's inner thoughts. "I ended up in Jack's body, and everyone decided that it was my intention to be stuck there, with no way back, hurt and lost and  _betrayed_... and then, the same thing happens with you, and... and it's all fine. No judgment. No punishment. Nobody scrambling to call you names, or taunt you, or blame you for the death of someone you loved..."

Anti sniffed, wiping his eyes. "I just thought it was unfair. I'm sorry, I... I see now that going after you was only repeating what happened to me,"

Blaze slowly let out a sigh. "Anti, just... look at me."

Anti's eyes were shining with tears, though only a few had broken, trickling down his cheeks. He still seemed a little shocked- and Blaze understood that. He understood a lot more than anyone else could probably account for about Anti, having been the only one that listened to him after he was outcast.

"I knew you were a nutcase," Blaze started. "The second I saw you- but I stayed anyway. Not because you manipulated me, which is what Daniel likes to believe. Not because I had nobody else. You were a cool guy- and I didn't care how many people you'd supposedly killed, or tortured- because I could see through your damn shell. I knew you weren't anything like what Daniel was telling me."

"You... what?" Anti shuddered, looking as if he couldn't believe it. "I... I'm exactly what he said, Blaze, I'm a killer. I can't just write over it and say it never happened like-"

"Not that- he told me you were cold, vindictive and cruel," Blaze elaborated. "But you were really just hurt and afraid. You hid it well, trust me- but I could see how you'd shake when I brought up your brothers. Your eyes would dart from side to side as if you thought they were listening. You wouldn't sleep at night in case someone you used to admire came to kill you while you were down."

Anti was silent. Nobody else seemed to know what to say, all looking at Blaze with mixed expressions of confusion and shock. Aside from the fusions, three more people were in the room- one was a gentleman with a black mustache. The other two looked like news reporters of some kind, pointing their camera at the scene. Anti paid them no mind, so Blaze followed suit. He decided to keep talking before Anti could turn the situation around.

"I was the only person you knew who hadn't already written you off as a failure," Blaze continued, practically feeling the atmosphere drop as the other egos looked to the ground. "And losing me for all those months... I knew you'd be angry. I knew you'd think I abandoned you, and... I did, I guess. I didn't set out to do it, but those three months just... just happened so quickly. I don't think you were really that mad at me. You were mad at yourself, and I was just something you could project all of that onto,"

"That's no reason to forgive me," Anti sighed bitterly. "I... It took two years of distance for these guys to accept me again. I might not have meant it but I  _hurt_  people. I hurt  _you_..."

Blaze let out a small chuckle. "I... I wasn't actually all that hurt, Anti. Dying as part of a fusion numbs the pain- and Daniel was there too. I can't just sit here and pretend that you two don't have issues to work through,"

"Still-"

"Anti," Blaze interrupted again. "Stop it. Did you make friends with Halter because he reminded you of me?"

Anti looked taken aback, eyes widening in guilt and shame. "I- what?"

"You did, didn't you?" Blaze mused, looking at Halter with a smile. The fusion had tilted his head to one side, regarding Anti with a measure of curiosity. He didn't seem at all offended.

"Anti?" Halter asked, reaching out and placing a hand on Anti's knee. Another tear rolled from the glitch's eyes.

"Yes," Anti murmured, closing his eyes. "Yes, I did..."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of, you big crybaby," Blaze chuckled, wrapping an arm around Anti's shoulder. "You know what that means? You  _missed_ me. And because you missed me, you made another friend instead of another enemy."

"Well..." Anti sighed. "Yeah, b-but... when you say it like that it sounds..."

Halter stood from his seat, walking over and tapping on Anti's shoulder. The taller fusion brought him up and into a hug- and Anti hesitated only a moment before hugging him back. The tears in his eyes kept coming.

"I didn't once feel like you were using me," Halter assured, patting Anti's back comfortingly. "I was happy to have a friend, and I'm still happy to have you as part of my life. It doesn't matter if I reminded you of your old friend, because you like me for me- don't you?"

Anti let out a little laugh- somewhere between relief and embarrassment. "Of course," he sniffed. "Of course I do, I'm just... just being stupid..."

"Well," Blaze snorted. "I wouldn't expect much more from the likes of you, Glitch Bitch,"

A series of gasps sounded around the room- but Anti only cracked a smile. Apparently, nobody else was close enough to him to get away with using that nickname. Blaze still felt proud that in the two months he'd been gone, nobody had replaced him in Anti's eyes. Not even Halter...

"For someone made of literal fire, you're not so bright yourself," Anti teased lightly, brushing his fringe to one side and looking up again, this time seeming much better. "It's good to have you back, buddy,"

"It's good to be back," Blaze agreed. "But I can't stay, I... I need to find Daniel,"

"Daniel..." Halter mused. "You mean the demon who fused with Doc during the battle- that was your guy?"

"He... wait, he fused with who?" Blaze asked, something inside him sinking a little- though he didn't quite know what. His heart? His breath? His flames dimmed ever so slightly, but Blaze was too worried to notice or care. Daniel... he wouldn't, would he?

"Why would he fuse with someone else?"

Anti bit his lip, eyes flickering nervously between the other egos. "Okay, that's... that's your cue to leave, guys,"

Halter looked at the pair worriedly. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Anti assured. "No, just... go tell Necro and President that Chase is with Google. They've been looking for him,"

"But-"

"Just go, guys," Anti finished. Septiplier gave him a reluctant nod, tugging gently at Halter's hand as the two left Anti's office. Blaze twitched nervously.

Anti stared down the camera-wielding pair until they followed suit, muttering something about 'Jim'- and the dapper man gave Anti a sad smile as he closed the door behind him. Then, Anti and Blaze were alone. The fire ego met Anti's eyes with a measure of trepidation.

"I... It wasn't romantic, was it?" Blaze asked worriedly.

"I doubt it," Anti sighed. "Considering that Doc is engaged to be married in a few weeks. I didn't get the chance to ask about it, but I think they only fused to fight me. They did think I killed both you and Schneep at the time, so it was probably like a two birds with one stone thing..."

"I just..." Blaze sighed in frustration, the flames on his skin now dancing bright blue. "Fusion is important to us, Anti, I don't... I don't know how to deal with this. It was... it was  _our thing_."

"I mean, sometimes we fuse as well," Anti explained. "Ever since we figured out we could, there seem to be more and more popping up. Necro and President- the hallway guys, they're fusions. I formed a fusion once with JJ, but it was only to absorb my-"

"No- I could care less that you guys are doing it," Blaze interrupted. "It was... different, for Daniel and I. It was like... like sex, but  _better_. It made us whole, and... and if he found that with someone else I-"

"Okay, calm down," Anti tried to soothe, seeing that Blaze was growing restless. "Doc  _hated_ the experience- he felt powerless, like he was being used, like... well, I'm pretty sure it triggered an old memory or something, with how he reacted to it. He was trying to drink himself to death, and I know it wasn't just because of what happened to Schneep. He won't go back into something like that again- and unless Daniel is abusive towards you, I doubt it was his intention to seduce him,"

Blaze closed his eyes, trying to breathe through this. But Daniel... he loved the damn idiot with all his heart, he didn't know what he'd do without him. "He isn't abusive, Anti, he's a great guy-"

"He isn't the most pleasant of demons, trust me," Anti frowned. "And when did you two even start dating?"

Blaze shrugged with a sigh, deciding to drop the previous conversation. Anti and Daniel had never gotten along in the past- there was no point in trying to convince Anti that Daniel really wasn't that bad. "I don't know if I'd call it 'dating' but... well, pretty much the day you attacked us. He kissed me, and then we just kind of... sunk into it. For the few days I was still alive, anyway,"

Anti winced. "Yeah... sorry again,"

"It's fine," Blaze sighed. "I'm not really used to people missing me when I'm gone, but I need to find him- he... he can't live without me, Anti,"

"Yes he can," Anti huffed. "He's a demon, he's lived without you for centuries... but I guess I can help you... I can try, anyway. I can't really leave the house for too long, but I can take you back to where we saw him last,"

"What do you mean, you can't leave the house for too long?" Blaze asked. "You used to hate this place,"

"Yeah," Anti agreed. "Still do, to an extent. But I'm waiting on a call from Dark tomorrow, so if we do anything, it has to be quick,"

Blaze smirked- when had those two become friendly again? He'd known that Dark and Anti had been close once, but after two years of fighting... how were they really holding up? Probably using what was left of their mutual desire, keeping it all under the sheets... "And how long have you two been dating, then?"

"Ha ha," Anti mused dryly, but he didn't deny it. "I wouldn't call it dating either, since we've only been on one actual date and Wilford managed to ruin it... we've been together a couple months now,"

"Serious?" Blaze probed, knowing that Dark was a little closed up with his feelings- at least, that's what Daniel had told him. There was no way that Anti's emotional outpouring of affection was being met here- and he was just a little worried for his friend's sake. Sure, Anti may have stabbed him once- but in this world, mortality never quite sunk in. "I mean- he's not just stringing you along, is he?"

Anti shook his head- but really? Blaze still had an inkling of doubt nagging at him. Getting involved with Daniel was one thing- Daniel was expressive, and caring, and unafraid to show his affection. Dark was cold and mysterious, and he always seemed so... so  _distant_.

"No- well, it felt like it for a while, but recently... I've seen his side of things. We're definitely serious," Anti stated, smiling a little at the thought.

"How serious are we talking here?" Blaze continued. "I mean- most couples aren't so sure about how serious they are after only a couple of months- have you talked to him about it? Where is he, anyway?"

"We're having a baby, that kind of serious," Anti admitted. "And he's stuck in the Groundlands with her- they can't come back until she's born,"

Blaze was... a little dumbstruck, he'd admit. A baby? There was no way Anti was ready for a baby- and Dark was carrying the child? In what world of reproduction did that work?

"I- eh?" Blaze sounded. "I mean... what? How? Why?"

"It's not like we set out to have her, or anything," Anti hastily explained. "We only found out, like, last week. It was our fault for thinking Dark didn't need protection, but..."

"You mean- you topped him?" Blaze smirked excitedly. Oh, the days they'd spent together, exchanging stories, dreams, desires... the conversation had turned to a certain pair of demons more than once, he had to admit. He'd particularly enjoyed taunting Anti once with the idea of Dark pressing him into the sheets and absolutely destroying him- he just couldn't see Dark being anyone's bitch, not even behind closed doors.

Anti flushed crimson. "I- well, that's a long story,"

Blaze pouted. "Come on, Anti- I'll tell you who tops between Daniel and I-"

Anti scoffed. "Please- I already know that you top. He's whipped for you and you always get what you want from him, you have no leverage over me,"

Blaze sighed. "Okay, you got me... but even though I've only met the guy once, he didn't exactly strike me as bottom material,"

Anti smirked through his brief embarrassment, pinching at the skin of his arms nervously. "You'd be surprised at just how much is laying beneath the surface of that demon... hey, maybe you could meet her one day,"

Blaze raised an eyebrow again, a little confusion showing on his face. "Meet her? She's still in the bloody womb, Anti,"

"Yeah, but you could see for yourself," Anti explained excitedly, eyes bright and shining. "I mean... I've met Daniel, it's only fair that you meet the guy I'm with eventually- and... and our baby,"

"I've already-"

"No, Blaze," Anti snorted. "I don't count whatever happened in that dressing room as an introduction. I want you to  _really_  meet him, see past the tough act he puts on for everyone else- you know?"

Blaze folded his arms. "Only if you do the same with Daniel,"

"Blaze- I knew Daniel before I knew you, he hates me," Anti sighed. "It isn't like Dark hates you,"

Blaze only smiled softly- he understood where Anti was coming from. But Daniel was more than that- he had his own mask he applied, when underneath he was just a sad, lonely old demon. Daniel and Anti weren't all that different, when it came to this. Perhaps that was why Blaze enjoyed their company so much.

"Daniel doesn't hate you," Blaze confided. "He... sees himself in you. That's why he doesn't trust you. That's why he doesn't want me to be friends with you. He can control himself, and he trusts himself- but he can't trust you. That's all."

Anti let out a low whistle. "Wow... when did you get all psych-y? That's... kind of ironic, considering..."

"What?" Blaze asked curiously.

Anti shrugged. "Daniel and Doc- their fusion, they called themself 'The Psychiatrist'."

Blaze shivered, the thought of Daniel willingly fusing with anyone else still bringing him an amount of discomfort. "Sounds like a serial killer,"

Anti let out a humourless laugh. "It does, doesn't it?"

Blaze sighed deeply, his flames flickering deep purple. "I... I really need to find him, Anti. I've been looking for ages, and he isn't at home- and then some psycho bitch tried to stab me so I came here... but he'd brave all of that for me if he knew I was out there,"

"Then why isn't he looking for you?" Anti asked, raising an eyebrow.

Blaze shook his head. "I was dead, Anti- he probably thinks I'm still dead. Are you sure you didn't see where he went?"

Anti sighed, shaking his own head in response. "No, he turned into mist and vanished- he could be anywhere, Blaze."

Blaze let out a frustrated sigh, tugging at his hair with his hands. "Well- do you know where he could be? Did Dark mention anything about a place where demons live? Could he have gone back to Hell?"

Anti chuckled humourlessly. "I don't think they even come from Hell, Blaze,"

"Still," Blaze groaned. "There's acres and acres of Void out there- where the heck could he have..."

"Well, Dark only ever told me about the demon sex club, and I doubt Daniel's gone to have a romp with an incubus," Anti sighed. "So I can't really help you- but I can come with you for a little while, help fend off the rogues. You're not exactly... discrete,"

"Ha ha," Blaze uttered dryly. "Well, I guess that's true. But I'd really appreciate it if you helped- you're the only face I know around here aside from Daniel and PJ... and PJ is a bit of a cunt, if we're honest,"

Anti snorted. "You can say that again... okay. We'll have to leave now if I want to make it back for Dark, so-"

"You can't go,"

Both heads turned to the doorway to see a somewhat familiar face. Small, frail- deep black eyes and pale skin that peeked from beneath a black sweater. A mass of blue hair flopped from under his hood.

Blank looked at them sorrowfully- his cheeks were still a little red, his eyes still puffy. But at least he wasn't in a coma anymore- King would be pleased to find out that his once-boyfriend was alive, awake and well.

"Peevils and Wiish- they're outside, they'll kill you," Blank uttered, voice cracking a little with hoarseness.

"Peevils and who?" Anti asked, cocking his head to one side. "I mean- I know one half of that means trouble- never liked that blonde skank..."

"Oh god... Wiish doesn't have silver eyes, does she?" Blaze realised. "She's the one that tried to knife me- she chased me here,"

Anti let out a groan. "Great, great... Peevils has a new friend. Well, I beat her once, I'll beat her again- thanks for the warning, Blankie."

Blank scowled as best he could, but he still looked a little pained by the remnants of his allergic reaction. His eyes were watery- but you could hardly tell because they seemed to suck in all the light around him. His lips were turned down in a frown.

"Don't c-call me..."

Anti sighed softly. "Sorry, Blank. I think King's outside- why don't you go talk to him?"

Blank looked absolutely terrified of the thought- his hands were shaking and he was sweating profusely, though that might have been the result of whatever meds the doctors had given him. Anti wasn't quite sure- all he knew was that both Blank and King were driving him mad with their little game of love, and it was a stress that could definitely be avoided.

Blank reluctantly nodded, closing the door behind him as he walked away. Blaze turned to Anti with a morbidly curious look etched on his face. His flames were coloured a light yellow.

"I... you'd really have my back out there?" Blaze asked.

Anti smiled wryly at him. "I let you die once because of me- trust me when I say there won't be a next time. Come on, let's go- before someone else ends up needing me first..."

**~Groundlands~**

"And he's just the sweetest man I've ever m-met,"

Dark was sobbing quietly into a handful of tissues, trying as best she could to shrink into the wall, the eyes of the other patrons of the cafe burning into her. She didn't want to make a scene, she didn't even want to be noticed- but Maggie had asked her about the father of her baby, and before she knew it, the waterworks had started to flow.

Maggie frowned, patting Dark's arm softly, handing her another tissue. "Shh, sweetie, are you okay?"

Dark nodded feebly, knowing her makeup had been ruined all over again by now, but not even caring about her appearance. She didn't know why she'd burst into tears at the thought of Anti- they were fine, weren't they? He wasn't fighting with her, and she wasn't fighting him, and... and was it the lack of argument that was setting her on edge? It must have been- that, or the cancer, but...

"I h-have cancer, Maggie," Dark wept, unable to stop the words flowing from her if she tried. She knew she was oversharing- she knew it was hardly appropriate to let them spill, but she was on a roll now with no chance of stopping. "And h-he's in denial about it, he thinks we c-can make it through together, b-but..."

Maggie was silent- shocked, speechless... the words all fit the bill. Her own eyes watered now- and she wiped the tears softly, standing and offering Dark a hug.

It reminded her of... of someone else. Someone long forgotten, and left behind...

"I... I'm so sorry," Maggie whispered, wrapping her arms around Dark's torso- and Dark hugged back, a little thrown by how much smaller Maggie's body was when compared to any of the men she'd hugged in the past eighty years. Celine had never known a close female friend. The last woman she'd even embraced had been her mother, the day she was married...

And the tears started again.

She was choking on them- coughing, tearing herself from Maggie's arms in effort to avoid making a bigger mess than necessary- the poor woman... she didn't deserve this. Dark shouldn't have said anything in the first place- now Maggie felt as though she was obligated to help, when Dark knew there was nothing she could do to make this better. Perhaps, even Maggie knew that.

Yet she stayed- she wiped away the wet from Dark's cheeks, she kept her hand on Dark's own- she muttered soothing words under her breath, trying to calm her down, but... but Dark was in hysterics. There wasn't enough air- but then suddenly, there was too much, and the sides of her vision started to shift and fade...

Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the chair- everything was so loud, and yet so quiet- like a fog had consumed her surroundings. Muffled words tumbled onto deaf ears, and even the whispers of their minds gave way to a silent cacophony.

She became aware of Maggie shaking her shoulder gently, blinking in the harsh light. Her head was pounding, her eyes swollen and sore... she felt as though she'd been knocked out.

But the clock on the wall of the cafe told her it had only been a minute since she started... started... what, exactly?

"Di, are you alright? Do you need water- shit, are you a diabetic?"

Dark stared up at her groggily. The memories, the visions... where was she? How did she get here?

She was ashamed to admit that it took her a moment to remember Maggie's name.

And then- then it came flooding back. She'd sat here with Maggie for the better part of two hours, drinking warm beverages, eating scones that hadn't lasted long before Dark was rushed to the bathroom, choking on the revolting mess as it spilled from her lips. Talking about Mark, and Will, and how painful it had been to make the choice to leave her unstable and abusive husband. Talking about finding her own place, holding herself back from love for so many years because she didn't trust the world around her to let something good come from it... and then they were here.

"I... water would be nice, yes," Dark sniffed, bursting into a fresh wave of tears at just how  _pathetic_  she felt like this. So weak, so vulnerable- she'd always hated crying. And the loss of memory, the vague feeling- she'd never experienced anything like this before the baby. Before she was stuck in this realm with no escape.

Was this her old age, catching up to her? Was this Alzheimer's? Oh, Dark hoped it would let up soon, but... but even her visions seemed scattered and half-formed when they used to be crystal clear. If only her aunt Ava was here- if only there was  _someone_  that knew enough about her to comfort her...

But there wasn't. Her family, her line- they were all dead aside from Mark and Jason- Thomas as he was known now... The magic had run dry, the art of witchcraft lost to them- and Celine had been taken too soon to learn it herself. She might have been able to teach them, once, but now... now, she could barely stand. She could barely  _breathe_.

She could barely notice when Maggie snapped her fingers in front of her face, holding a glass of water to her lips. The patrons of the cafe were looking at her with worried eyes- but how worried would they be if they knew what she really was?

"Do you want me to call a hospital?" Maggie asked, her fingers shaking with nerves.

"No," Dark sobbed. "No, I don't... have p-private health care. I will be f-fine, Maggie, I just..."

"Hey," Maggie interceded, gesturing to the water insistently. "Drink- you almost passed out, Di, are you sure you don't want me to get help?"

"I am sure," Dark affirmed, taking a sip of the water. Yet even she knew that what had just occurred was hardly the fault of dehydration. "I am simply... simply overwhelmed. I've never gotten the chance to really... really talk about this before, and... and I'm getting so emotional-"

"You mean your boyfriend doesn't know that your ex used to hurt you?" Maggie asked, concerned, a little taken aback. Dark supposed it sounded so silly that she trusted Anti with everything else, and not the story of how she came to be so broken... maybe, she didn't want to see him cry for her. They'd done enough crying this past week, in Dark's opinion, and they didn't need any more stress, what with the cancer, and the baby...

"N-no, he knows," Dark sniffed. "I... I never told him, but he knows. He saw it. He'd never hurt me, never... never without me hurting him first. It's... it's c-complicated, Maggie, I'm s-sorry..."

But Dark  _had_  hurt him. Those two years spent fighting, maiming, letting her violence and frustration do the talking while all she'd wanted to do was hold him close... She'd killed him, over and over. Strangling, choking, slitting his throat, crushing his bones like they were made of foil... Was she really any better than the man she'd been resentful towards when she was younger?

"Hey, shh, I trust you," Maggie soothed.

_But if you only knew what I was..._

"I've sent Ben a text- he's going to come and see you," Maggie sighed. "I... I know you don't want help, but- everyone needs help every now and again. You're a strong woman, Di- you've been through a lot, and you probably don't trust anyone but yourself, but... but not all people are as shitty as your first lover was. I'm sure your new boyfriend is wonderful,"

"Oh, he is," Dark sighed, wiping her eyes again. Benjamin... he'd never even seen her in her female form, let alone in tears. What would he think of her, now? "I only... I only w-wish that I'd chosen to l-love him sooner..."

"Was it a trust issue?" Maggie asked kindly, still a little wary to return to her seat- she wouldn't be able to catch Dark if she fell, if she was sitting. Dark wanted to dismiss her worry, but- but even she didn't trust her own resolve. If she had an accident, and something happened to her baby- she wouldn't be able to deal with the loss. She'd be dying, and leaving Anti alone- and she didn't want that.

"N-no," Dark shook her head, glad that most of the cafe's customers had stopped staring. "It's j-just... he was only nineteen, Maggie, and... and I didn't want to take that away f-from him so early..."

Maggie pursed her lips- oh no, had Dark ruined everything? She was hardly a pedophile- but she didn't know what was truly acceptable in this day and age, either. All she knew was that pursuing Anti when he was nothing more than a teenager had felt... wrong. He was still so young, still had so much of the world to see... even now, she felt as though she had no right to call herself his only. She'd been around for over a century, he'd only been here for nine years... it just didn't seem  _fair_.

"And how old were you, Di?" Maggie asked quietly.

Well... Dark couldn't very well tell her the truth. Truly, she looked to be no more than thirty, at the greatest- the body of the attorney that she was contained in had been thirty-six when it was frozen in time. She couldn't grow older, even if she wanted to.

"H-he... he's ten years younger than m-me," Dark muttered, drawing her arms closer around her. What a lie- no, there was easily an eighty year difference at the very least between them, and Anti had a mental age closer to twenty than twenty-eight... their relationship really was perverted, wasn't it?

 _'No_ ,' some part of Dark spoke up.  _'Anti was a consenting adult when we started this. He was twenty-eight years old. We have nothing to be ashamed of.'_

"He w-was twenty-eight when w-we got together..."

Maggie smiled- oh, thank the heavens... Dark hadn't ruined this friendship quite yet. She wasn't so certain of just why she cared- perhaps she just couldn't stand the weight of another person disapproving of her life choices. But Maggie seemed to warm up to her immensely after that confession, her eyes softening and her mind growing calmer, satisfied that what Dark was doing was right.

"So that puts you... mid to late thirties? That's not... not really the best age to have a baby, are you sure you're feeling well?"

If only she knew how old this body really was... she'd likely scream, if she believed it. But Dark would never tell her- the last time she'd tried to rationalise this world she'd ended up recruiting Wilford to her side, and that was a development that she might look back on, wishing she'd passed.

"We weren't trying," Dark sniffed, calming enough that her hands had stopped shaking against the table. "We... we didn't think we needed protection. For most in m-my circumstance, it... it wasn't necessary,"

"Well," Maggie chuckled, though she didn't seem all that humoured by the sudden turn of the conversation. "I take it you've learned your lesson,"

Dark smiled softly, relief still coursing through her veins. And yet... she still felt incredibly guilty, for reasons she couldn't seem to place. Yes, Anti was young... he'd been young and impressionable, but the other egos had paired off splendidly. The doctors, Host and Robbie- they both had their age differences, but nobody was scrambling to call them out on it. Dark was just being paranoid, that was all. She had an awful habit of doing that, lately...

Maggie leaned closer, concern shining through her eyes once more. She placed a comforting hand on Dark's own, apparently having noticed the shakes.

"Hey... if it's any consolation, I think the fact that you waited nine years for him to mature is worth feeling proud about. Most women don't hold themselves back from younger guys- but you waited for him to be ready. That... that must have taken some solid willpower,"

"You truly think so?" Dark asked quietly, not expecting praise on her methods- if Maggie had only known how painful it had been, the fighting, the isolation, the  _longing_... yes, Dark had held back. But she'd hurt a great many people in doing so, and that far outweighed any sort of praise that not pursuing Anti had earned her.

"Yeah, I personally think that it doesn't matter what you think about someone- only what you do to affect them," Maggie stated. "For example- I've wanted to skin several people alive, just working this job. Middle-aged couples that think they can throw their weight around, toddlers who mess up the windows- but I'd never actually do it."

Maggie shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, I have a friend who identifies as a pedophile, but he'd never go out and abuse a child. He's ashamed of it, but... well, I admire his courage coming out to us like he did. Of course, that was after Sophie told us she was getting married in the Spring, b-but..."

Maggie had become sombre- tears started to pool in her eyes, her face grew red, and her own hands started shaking. Dark raised her brows carefully- oh, dear, this poor girl...

"S-sorry," Maggie sniffed. "I... she was my cousin, but... well, you must have heard about it, it's been all over the news..."

Dark felt her heart sink. Those two girls in Irvine- the ones who'd taken a picture with a Mark lookalike- found beaten to death in an alley. Their rings, the only representation of their bond, just... just gone. They hadn't caught the bastard yet- but Dark hoped there'd be hell to pay when they rounded the killer up. She definitely had a soft spot for murders like this, especially given how she'd died in the thirties...

"I'm sorry for your loss," Dark murmured, head bowed. "I... I lost someone dear to me in a similar manner. It is never easy to get over the death of s-someone you love..."

_She saw Damien, curled up on the ground, fire poker wedged in his side and bleeding out. She saw Celine, bruises still littering her neck, her pale face shining day after day, wasting away in that tower. She saw the District Attorney, her broken body lying in the entrance foyer, William crying over her corpse for hours on end..._

"Well," Maggie sniffed, managing to compose herself enough to breathe clearly once more. "There's n-no helping it now, I know... I don't think he did it, you know?"

Dark cocked her head to one side. "Who?"

Maggie nodded to the door of the cafe, and- oh, Dark almost had a heart attack. It was Mark-  _today's_  Mark, but Mark all the same. Those almond shaped eyes, that mop of hair... Dark had almost thought she was back in the twenties, just waiting for trouble to find her around every corner. She'd learned to panic when she saw his face- learned to find something else to do. Cleaning, cooking, sewing a new cushion and ending up stabbing herself several times over in blind fear... it didn't matter to her that there was a butler to do these things. All that mattered was that she didn't have to risk his fury any more than necessary.

Mark looked worried- and that wasn't something Dark often experienced. Worried for her sake? Mark had written her off years ago as a good-for-nothing evil spirit, he'd never worry for her. It was sad, but true- her grandson didn't much care about who she was, or why she was here. Only that it was never convenient for him.

And now, where was she? Living in his house, eating his food, taking his girlfriend's attention away... okay, Dark supposed that Mark  _might_  have valid reason for his ignorance.

"I don't think he killed them," Maggie continued. "He's really kind-natured- and he wouldn't commit a hate-crime like that. Anyone that's saying it was him just hasn't bothered to look beneath the headlines,"

"You know Mark personally?" Dark asked.

Maggie shook her head. "No, no- but I saw him on tour with Soph and my eldest. I see him around sometimes, but it's not my place to speak up. Poor guy probably has enough people thirsting for his attention..."

Mark was standing awkwardly in the window, waiting. Maggie gave Dark a soft smile.

"I think it's time to go, sweetie,"

**~Void~**

"So, she's got silver eyes?" Anti asked as he closed his door behind him, clicking the lock into place. All of the neatly crocheted curtains slid shut, and the lights of the house dimmed significantly. It was nearing night in the Groundlands, after all- and Anti didn't particularly want his house to stick out like a sore thumb. Who knew what was out here?

Blaze nodded, his flames just a little brighter than usual as he looked out onto the horizon. "Yeah, and she's got this ripped up shirt- looks like she did it herself,"

"Ah," Anti noted. "So she's trying to copy Peevs, and act all edgy?"

"I've never met whoever that is," Blaze shivered. "All I know is that I don't particularly like being diced, so you'd better be able to match her in a knife fight,"

"I could take anyone in a knife fight," Anti scoffed, seemingly offended. "I'm the worst kind of enemy- I can't even die, so I'll always win,"

"Still full of yourself, I see,"

"Oh, shut up,"

They'd started walking, and Anti was just out of sight of his house- when he felt something cool against the back of his neck. He turned, knife already out- metal clashed on metal, but he found himself thrown back off balance. Whoever attacked him- he still couldn't see their face- was a lot stronger than he'd first thought...

"Shit!" Anti hissed as a deep gash was sliced into his forearm. The pain in his limb was hardly comparable to the pain in his pride. "Blaze-!"

"I'm out of here," Blaze gulped, stepping back as the silver-eyed woman forced Anti down with her steel-capped boots. She was still masked by the cover of darkness, but Anti had the sinking feeling that he'd seen her before. An old kill? A passing traveller? No, no, he felt as though he knew her a little more intimately than that... yet for the life of him, he couldn't determine why.

"Oh no you don't," a familiarly piercing voice sounded, as sharp fingernails found their way to Blaze's throat. On impact, she let out a little scream- dropping Blaze as the heat rushed through her skin. Anti found himself smirking despite his unfortunate predicament- anything that caused that wench to feel pain was worth the laughter.

"You want some ice for that?" Anti snickered, his body glitching and materialising again behind his assailant, forcing her to the ground. She fell with a gasp, bracing herself with her arms as her knife clattered out of her hands. Anti stood on the blade, bearing down on her until he had his forearm across her throat, holding his own knife threateningly against her chest. She laughed- and Anti could finally see her face clearly. Pale skin, dark lips, pretty brown hair and stunning silver eyes...

He remembered her. Laughing, and spinning around, and bringing him coffee while he was at work- but no, that wasn't her. That wasn't even  _him_.

"You're Signe," he concluded. "Or- well, her ego I guess. Huh. Y'know, she's a lot prettier than you,"

She growled lowly, rolling them over so that she was straddling his legs, picking up her knife again and holding it harshly to his throat. It seemed he hadn't expected that- but if he thought she was anything like her human counterpart, she guessed he was pretty bad at processing information. "She's prettier, huh?" She spat, a silvery forked tongue slipping from between her lips. It flicked along Anti's cheek, and she chose to ignore how disgusted he looked in favour of examining his features. He seemed... oddly intrigued, despite his expression. Well, she was hardly going to be ungrateful for that...

"Of course she's prettier," Anti smirked, as if he knew just how to rile her up, though he still seemed a little uncertain. "I don't know if you've noticed in your stalking, but I don't really find lizard people attractive."

"See how he talks to you, Wiish?" Peevils huffed, still glaring at Blaze, who was keeping a safe distance from her as he looked on in fear. "He isn't worth it,"

"I could make him worth it," Wiish murmured seductively, her tongue trailing across the soft skin of Anti's lips. He looked like he so desperately wanted to pull away, but he didn't move-  _couldn't move_? His eyes flashed just a little brighter, his hair seeming to grow even greener. His cheeks adapted a pinkish tint, and Wiish smirked. She knew it- she knew she could win him over, make him forget all about that demon he thought he loved...

"Gross," Peevils commented, making a face at the pair. "Take your flirting somewhere else, and make him regret stealing Dark from me while you're at it,"

Wiish scoffed at that remark, her grip on Anti slipping- but Anti didn't seem to even notice. "I'm not your little servant, Peevils,"

Blaze watched on in mild horror- there was  _definitely_  something wrong with Anti. He didn't look like he was entirely... there. Helpless, and a little afraid, and strangest of all- he looked as though he wasn't enjoying it one bit. Then why wasn't he moving? He was stronger than her- and her form was weak, weak enough that even Blaze could probably break her hold from under her. But Anti, for the first time, didn't look like he knew what to do. His eyes flashed greener still.

"Anti?" Blaze asked uncertainly. "Do you want me to-?"

"Shut up," Peevils seethed, scooting further away from the other ego. "Wiish, take him out, please,"

Anti's brows furrowed. He felt... lightheaded. Weak, and woozy, and... he'd never felt like this before. Not unless he was already exhausted, or crying, or coming down from a really intense sexual experience. What was  _wrong_  with him? He was vaguely aware of something wet and a little slimy bearing down on him, slipping through his lips, tasting the inside of his mouth. He hated it- he  _hated_  it, but... but he couldn't get away.

"No..." Anti muttered feebly, the only word he could even manage in his strange state of dreariness. He gagged slightly on Wiish's tongue, coughing harshly. "Blaze... go..."

"What are you doing?!" Blaze all but shouted, advancing warily as he kept his eyes on Wiish's knife- but she was hardly paying him any attention now. She was all over Anti- pressed up against him, tongue wandering down his throat, lips wrapped around Anti's own- the glitch scrunched his eyes closed, wincing a little as if he were in pain. Blaze could see that Wiish's blade was pushed between them, seeping the red of Anti's blood out and onto her shirt- and Anti was just... just  _taking_  it.

"What've you done to him?!" Blaze growled, moving forward to shove Wiish away- because something was wrong. This wasn't his friend- his friend would never let someone just use him like this, like some worthless little toy. Anti knew he was better than that- he was with Dark, and he'd never cheat on that demon willingly. He must have been under some kind of spell, or- or in a trance. This wasn't the Anti he knew...

Peevils had her phone out, recording the whole thing with a smug smirk etched on her features- Blaze knew what she was trying to do. Anti had told him that Peevils used to hang around Dark, trying to get him to like her- she probably thought that showing him this would make Dark appreciate her. That it would turn Dark against Anti, and get him on her side...

And Blaze would like to say that it wouldn't be the case, but... but he didn't actually know Dark all that well. All he knew was that Anti had a child- a  _child_ , and a lover waiting for him, and whoever this bitch thought she was, she didn't have the right to take that away.

"Get off him!" Blaze shouted, kicking Wiish aside as best he could- her knife left a huge, jagged slit in Anti's chest, but he didn't even notice that his attacker was gone. His eyes were half-lidded, piercing green and dark with lust, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. His lips were swollen and red, shining with excess saliva, and- okay that was messed up. Blaze linked hands with him, bringing him to his feet, and Anti wobbled slightly on the spot.

"I..." Anti started, holding his head with one blood-covered hand. "I don't... what...?"

"Come here, you moron," Blaze groaned aloud, pressing a hand to Anti's wound- it sizzled at his touch, and Anti gave a little whimper of pain as it began to heal over, leaving only a faint scar in its place. He met Blaze's eyes warily. For a moment, Blaze had forgotten that his healing touch was still unknown to everyone but Daniel.

Anti blinked, shaking his head as he held his bloodied hand to his temples. "She... fuck, I-"

"Give him back to me," Wiish commanded, getting to her feet and picking up her blade. "I might not be able to touch you, but I can cut you just fine,"

"Go to Hell," Blaze spat at her, looking worriedly at Anti once again. "Are you alright to walk?"

Anti scoffed under his breath. "I'm confused, not dying-"

"Anti!" Blaze hissed in warning, shoving them both aside as Wiish slashed at them with her knife, catching Blaze's shoulder as he hit the ground. He was face to face with Anti, chest to chest, his knees planted either side of Anti's thighs. It wasn't meant to be sexual- but whatever those two had done to Anti was clearly messing with his brain. He looked up through foggy eyes, lips parted as he breathed out, soft and slow. He seemed terrified of his own complacency.

"Blaze...?" He murmured uncertainly.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, hold on," Blaze promised, rolling them to the side and stumbling to his feet, ducking as Wiish aimed to slice off his head. He wrapped Anti's arms around his shoulders, lifting him up and holding him close as his mind vaguely registered Peevils screaming at Wiish to "Get them!".

"You're gonna be okay," Blaze told him as he started running back towards the house, consciously aware that he was much, much slower than their attackers. "I'm gonna get you home, alright? Don't worry about it, you're gonna be fine, you're gonna be fine..."

Anti held on just a little tighter- he was crying softly into Blaze's shoulder, unable to even speak his mind, the warmth engulfing his body until he felt as though he was floating.

"You're gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay... I'm gonna be  _fine_ , I'm gonna be-"

He stopped running. His arms were free, and Anti was gone- but he wasn't really gone at all, was he? It felt familiar, but different- a sensation he'd experienced before, but...

"Holy shit," Phoenix muttered, looking himself over. He was wearing his normal graphic tee, his regular old skinny jeans- his hair felt just a little longer than usual, but what concerned him the most was the presence of two large, feathery masses that sprung from his upper back. Wings?

He jostled them experimentally- they shook out, reacting just as his arms might have done, spreading out far to either side of his figure. He smirked to himself, turning to face his attackers again- he was pleased to see that they were suitably gobsmacked. He twirled his knife in his hands, the blade reddened and glowing as it absorbed his heat. He took a step closer.

       

"I'd run if I were you," Phoenix warned, staring down the egos before him as they stumbled backwards, eyes wide in shock and terror. Yes... Phoenix found he rather liked causing terror. He didn't know which part of him that was coming from, but he didn't really care in this situation. These two had hurt him- and these two would  _pay_.

"C'mon Wiish, we should go-" Peevils muttered, stepping away, but Wiish shook her head. Her eyes narrowed as she stared back with equal intensity, gripping her own knife as she measured up the situation in her mind. She'd taken down demons and egos alike- what more was a fusion of a cowardly flame and an incapacitated glitch? They were nothing to her, could Peevils not see that?

"I'm not giving him up without a fight," Wiish replied, tossing some stray, straggly hair out of her eyes. "Cut that out, and we don't have to hurt each other,"

"Oh, but you've hurt him enough already," Phoenix snarled, raising his knife to strike.

She didn't stand down.

Sparks flew as their blades collided again, but this time, Phoenix was stronger- he shoved Wiish away, deflecting a hit with one of his wings as he kicked her to the ground, knocking her knife to the side. Wiish growled, rolling to her feet and slugging the fusion in the jaw- searing, burning pain shot up her arm and she cried out, flexing her burned fingers to ease the sting.

Phoenix took a step back, eyeing them warily- Peevils was ready to join in, and it would be two on two- Phoenix didn't quite trust his own ability to hold himself against both of them. He was powerful, he knew it- but he was also inexperienced.

He shook his head, remembering that he had wings-  _wings_. He gave them one last cocky smirk, giving them a rude hand gesture for good measure as he turned on his heel.

"You're not worth the trouble,"

Wiish caught the full blast of it as Phoenix took off, launching himself high into the air, so high that she could barely even see the brightness enveloping his form anymore. Then... then, he was gone.

"What the  _shit_  was that?" Peevils huffed. "Is fusion the only trick these egos know?"

"What now?" Wiish muttered, still staring after the man, trying to make sense of what had just happened. She'd met him- she'd finally met the man she'd been made for, and he liked her back. He'd accepted his defeat- probably because he was distracted by her- and he'd have stayed if that other ego hadn't stepped in. He'd wanted it- hadn't he?

 _Of course he did_ , she scoffed internally.  _We're meant to be together, I was created for him..._

"I guess now we wait until they get back," Peevils grimaced. "This is our only way to break them up- and whatever you did to him to make him want you just now? You have to do that again, but better,"

Wiish frowned, drawing her knees close to her chest. "I... I didn't do anything. I kissed him, and he kissed back. That's all there was to it,"

"Please, Wiish, you must have done something," Peevils hummed. "He was putting up a fight before you made a move,"

"He probably realised that we were meant to be together, and got confused," Wiish explained, knowing that her explanation didn't make any sense. But she didn't know what happened, really- and now that she knew him... he seemed rather dull. Not like what the fans painted him as, in the pieces of art and writing that claimed he was an all out psychopathic monster...

She wanted him to fight back, just a little more. She didn't have time for this simple romance bullshit- she wanted excitement, and adventure, and she wanted it  _rough_. Next time they met, she'd have to make sure Anti was really worth her time at all.

_Next time..._

She let out a deep sigh, folding her arms as she watched his house from a distance. She'd never tell Peevils, but... she was having her doubts. Maybe she and Anti weren't meant to be together, after all. Maybe... maybe it was too late to take what she'd thought she wanted. It didn't seem that the man her heart beat for was even there at all.

She glared at her blade, a smear of Anti's blood still visible on the blackened steel. Next time, she'd have to make her choice.

She could only hope that she'd make the right one.

**~Groundlands~**

"Hey," Mark greeted. Dark couldn't help but notice he seemed rather... shaken. His eyes were glassed over, his hands fidgeting with the strings on his CLOAK hoodie- he wasn't usually so nervous. What had happened? Had the planning turned sour?

"Evening," Dark nodded. "I... I apologise, for running off. I trust the wedding arrangements went smoothly?"

Mark nodded, but his heart didn't seem in it. "Yeah, I... listen, I know we haven't always been on the best of terms, but what you said earlier, it... I can't get it out of my head,"

Dark felt her heart sink. "You mean... about Mark?"

Mark nodded again, looking down as he shuffled his feet. "I just can't imagine... living with that kind of... how bad was it?"

Dark raised an eyebrow, her eyes still red and shot from crying in the cafe. Maggie had left them alone, slipping Dark her number- not that she could call anyway without the phone crackling with static. She'd had to leave in time for dinner with her family, and Dark had ushered her away, knowing that every moment with somebody counts, and tomorrow should never be taken for granted.

That poor family had already lost one girl... they didn't need to lose any more.

"What do you mean, exactly?" Dark murmured quietly, stepping into the shadows as people started to stare. Mark didn't seem like he was going to move- whatever conversation this was, it seemed he didn't want to be overheard.

"I just- what did he do to you? What kind of... was it hits, or did he use objects, or...?"

Dark closed her eyes- and for a moment, Mark was afraid he'd said something wrong. But this- this was something he'd never even thought to consider. He knew that Mark had killed Damien and Celine- but he hadn't known that the man had been abusive and cruel beforehand. And this was someone that could have raised his own father, if he hadn't been killed- Mark had never been so glad that Dark had the tendency to finish people instead of torture them. He was glad that his grandfather's killer wasn't walking amongst them anymore.

After a few moments, Dark let out a small sigh. "He... he'd hit me with whatever he was holding. Usually when he was drunk, or... or high. He didn't do it when we had company. Only the butler knew... not even Damien found out, until we..."

She cut herself off with a shudder, a tear falling from her eye as she stared bitterly at the ground.

"I'm so sorry," Mark breathed, looking as though he wanted to reach out and hug her, but- but something made him hesitate. Of course he was wary... Dark had never been one for affection until Anti had come along.

"It just... it makes so much sense now," Mark muttered instead, retracting his hand. "All these years, the tension, and the animosity, it..."

"I wasn't afraid of you," Dark said suddenly, folding her arms defensively and staring him down. "I was never afraid."

"You were angry," Mark swallowed- and Dark knew he was right. "And until now, I guess I... I never understood why. I'm sorry,"

"Sorry?"

"For being so goddamn stubborn," Mark muttered. "I didn't apologise for whatever I thought I'd done, and if I had, you might have... I don't know, explained it to me. But I didn't, and we've been enemies for years, and now... now you're dying,"

Dark humphed. "Well, I suppose I was stubborn as well for simply not telling you what the matter was... thank you for your apology, Mark, I... I'm sorry as well,"

Mark smiled at her- a genuine smile, something Dark didn't think he'd ever given her in the past. And despite the fresh tears still rolling from her eyes, she couldn't help but smile back.

"Truce?" Mark offered, lifting his hand again, only shaking a little with nerves.

Dark chuckled softly under her breath at his hesitation. "Truce," she agreed. She shook his hand, and then suddenly- the world around them melted away...

_"You look absolutely beautiful, Celine," her mother smiled, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye as she trailed her hand down the veil of Celine's wedding dress. Her hair rested on her shoulders, braided with silver- her young eyes were shining in the reflection of the mirror. She beamed as she stepped down from the podium, twirling on the spot. In her hands was a bouquet of soft pink flowers._

_"Thank you, Mother," Celine grinned. Her eyeshadow was light, her lips full and pink- her bridesmaids were all smiling in her direction, wearing pretty pink dresses and roses in their hair._

_"It's the big wedding you always dreamed of," her father noted, looking incredibly proud of her as he took her by the hand. "Let's hope he delivers on the big-"_

_"Father!" Celine interceded, a blush tinting her cheeks. Adam chuckled to himself, while Desiree looked on in mild disapproval. Celine's bridesmaids- Dark could barely remember their names- giggled to each other in the corner._

_"What happens on the honeymoon stays on the honeymoon, dear," Desiree told her husband, but nothing could put a damper on the atmosphere today._

_"Great, now that you've successfully embarrassed me to the point of losing all rationality..." Celine muttered, still holding her head in one hand as she offered the other arm to her father._

_Desiree chuckled. "Oh, Dear, perk up. It's your wedding day, aren't you excited?"_

_"My little girl is all grown up," Adam agreed._

_"Good luck out there," another voice called- and when Celine turned her head she could see that it was Damien. Dressed in all white, a rose tucked into his blazer, his hair combed back on his head. He fiddled anxiously with his cane._

_"Mark is terribly nervous out there," he explained. "Fretting about whether or not it was all too much- but you know how he is. I just wish that Will were here to witness this..."_

_"I'm sure I'll get the chance to meet him eventually, Damien," Celine smiled. "But he's fighting for our country- not everyone can be a famous actor, or running for mayor..."_

_Damien flushed a little, straightening his bow tie. "Don't draw attention from how gorgeous you are in that dress, Celine, this is your day. I'll have to talk him down from bursting in here to see you- but I'll be watching from the seats. I'm happy for you,"_

_Celine smiled as she brought him close, hugging him around the middle. Damien wasted no time in hugging her back._

_"Go now, son," Adam gestured. "Shoo- make sure that Mark isn't going to leave her at the altar,"_

_Damien chuckled softly, leaning on his cane as he shook his head in dismissal. "He would never," Damien sighed. "But I'll go- good luck, again,"_

_Celine smiled. "Thank you, Damien,"_

_"Are you ready, Darling?" Desiree asked, linking her arm with her daughter's as her bridesmaids prepared to lead the way._

_Celine let out a nervous breath. "Yes, of course,"_

_"Then we will start the procession," Adam nodded, entwining his own arm with Celine's as the doors were thrown open. She could see him- her future husband, standing at the altar with slightly sweaty hands and a goofy smile upon his lips... the absolute doofus. But he made her laugh, and Celine had loved him for that._

_Before they could exit the room, the scene shifted._

_"Mark, honey- are your friends coming over tonight?" Celine asked, smoothing out her crimson dress with the air of nervousness. Dark remembered this night- they'd been married for months, they'd known each other a year- yet Celine had never been comfortable when Mark had his posse of superstars over to visit. Something about them just set her on edge, yet she couldn't place what._

_"Yes- is something wrong?" Mark asked, entwining their fingers gently. He'd always had such kind brown eyes- so sweet and harmless. Oh, how they'd lied..._

_"No," Celine shook her head, withdrawing her hands. "Not at all, Dear- but I can't join in the festivities tonight. I'm tired and I need some rest..."_

_"Oh," Mark sighed. "Is that because of our flight? I'm sorry for taking you, I just thought-"_

_"No, sweetheart," Celine denied again. "The plane was... well, it was horrid, but I don't blame you for that. It was lovely to see you film in Paris- and when we stood atop the Eiffel Tower... I won't forget a moment so magical,"_

_Mark smiled at her, pressing a sweet kiss to her pink lips. "I promise you, we'll make moments even more magical. And we'll go by yacht, next time,"_

_Celine couldn't help but giggle softly at that notion. Oh, he was always so charming, and sweet- he'd shower her in gifts and accessories to show how much he cared, and despite Celine not really appreciating trinkets, she admired his dedication. When he said he'd make more magic, she believed it._

_She'd believed everything that had come out of that man's mouth._

_"Okay," Celine smiled, pecking him on the cheek and stepping back. "I'll wait for you in bed,"_

_It shifted once more._

_"-hiding behind the money of a dead man who was so much more than you could ever even hope to be!"_

_"Will, please, calm down-"_

_"Do you have no sense of dignity?! This manor was my family's home- and you never even thought to tell me that my own father was dying?!"_

_Celine had come to the door, wondering what all this shouting was- she was ashamed to admit she'd grown used to it in the last two years of being married to Mark. He was sweet and gentle on the outside- but on the inside, he was loud, and obnoxious, and even a little... violent? Perhaps that wasn't the right word, but he'd gotten injured in a fight with one of his producers after having too much wine just last week. Celine had been staying in a guest bedroom ever since, hoping it would teach him a lesson... it had only seemed to make him madder._

_Mark was standing there, robe smelling distinctly of alcohol- and at the door was another man Celine had never met before. She'd seen his picture, she was certain of it- in fact, he looked rather like Mark. This must have been his cousin, William- Damien's childhood friend._

_"Will, you don't understand, you wouldn't have made it back-" Mark tried to argue, but William slugged him in the jaw so intensely that he stumbled back. Celine's breath hitched in her throat- but she didn't know what to do. Who could she call for- their butler? He was so old that Celine doubted he could even run over here before someone got killed. Their chef? He was fast asleep in his quarters, having prepared a fancy banquet for Mark's newest co-stars just hours before..._

_Mark growled under his breath, swinging at Will with a bottle of some sort- it smashed on impact against William's skull, dousing him in liquor. Blood began to pour steadily from his temple, and Celine gasped aloud in fear._

_She strode forward, wrapping her arms around her husband and pulling him back- she caught the edge of a fist on her cheek, but she didn't falter- the wind outside closed the door before she could manage a word to the newcomer._

_She relented, dropping Mark with shaking hands. Blood was dripping down her front, tiny splinters of glass embedded in her palms, and her husband turned to look at her with rage she'd never witnessed on his features._

_That rage immediately gave way to regret as he stepped closer, cupping her cheek and looking in horror at the forming bruise. Tears beaded in his eyes._

_"Why did you step in?" Mark asked softly, brushing some strands of hair from her eyes. "Why did you get involved, I..."_

_"I couldn't let him hurt you, and I couldn't let you hurt him either," Celine frowned, stepping away again. "I... you need to stop drinking, Mark. You're a different man when you're drunk, and... and I'm not so sure I love you when you're like this,"_

_Mark let out a sob- and suddenly, Celine felt like a monster. She reluctantly sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist as he nuzzled into her shoulder. She could feel tears sliding down her back- or was it blood?_

_"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."_

_"I'm sorry too," Celine whispered._

_Eight weeks later, she'd been back at the door- the man, Mark's cousin, was back. He seemed a lot less angry, a lot more calm- a lot more charismatic and certainly more handsome. But of course he was. He was related to Mark, after all- they were almost identical. She'd known that her brother had brought him around to make peace- but she'd been out with her mother at the time. Was it truly all healed between them now?_

_"Oh- ah, you must be Celine," William greeted, kissing her hand as he bowed to her. "M'lady,"_

_She'd let out a little laugh- and she hadn't laughed in what felt like months, truly. She smiled at him, introducing herself, asking after his name- they'd sparked up a conversation. It was strange, so ludicrous, but... she found that she enjoyed speaking to him more than speaking to her husband. With Mark it was always about new screenplays, performances, parties with his colleagues- never a moment spared to talk about what Celine was interested in._

_With Will, they exchanged anecdotes and stories, talking about war and life and love... he was sensitive, she found. Sensitive, and caring, and his brown eyes were just as sweet as Mark's._

_"Oh- would you look at the time? Best we be heading inside now," William chortled, strolling past Celine and walking into the house. He took a moment to admire the beautifully framed pictures on the walls- landscapes, paintings of the grounds... he let out a comfortable sigh._

_"It's great to be home again," he smiled._

_But then, the vision faded- she was lying alone in bed, the sheets tossed carelessly over her pale form. Her fingers were shaking, her nails digging subconsciously into her palms as she heard the door creak open. An unwitting whimper left her lips._

_"What are you doing in here?" Mark asked, his voice a little more stern than caring. "I have guests downstairs, we're about to watch the premiere-"_

_"I'm not interested," Celine spoke quietly, closing her eyes against the pillow. "You know that crowds make me anxious, Dear..."_

_"They're old friends, Celine, they'd never hurt you," Mark frowned. "This silliness, it has to stop eventually. Do you not want to spend time with me? You don't have to run slander against them to prove a point to me, you know that,"_

_"Spend time with you..." Celine sighed, almost mockingly. "And when was the last time you spent time with me, Mark? Every day, all hours, it's production and scenes and actor gossip, I... I've listened patiently with you. I do all that you ask of me- is that not enough to warrant some consideration? I don't like being around people who take drugs, Mark, they're unpredictable..."_

_Mark seemed hurt, frowning further as he let the door close. He walked over to her, not missing the way that she shivered under his sheets. He threw them back, folding his arms._

_"You don't trust me?" He muttered. "First it was the alcohol, now it's the crack... It's not like I'm some addict, Celine, it's all just for show."_

_"What are you trying to prove?" Celine seethed, getting to her feet. "Three fights I've seen you start this year- three! All of them when you were high on some- some type of stupid drug. You're not the man I married-"_

_Her vision went dark as a resounding SLAP echoed across the walls. She was dizzy- she could feel the blood rushing to her cheek, her eye swelling at the pain. When she could finally see again, he looked apologetic- his face was pale, his eyes wide in shock. He tried to speak, to say he was sorry- but Celine wasn't so sure that he really was. She glared as best she could, tears clouding her vision, and strode out of the room._

_She didn't look back._

_The next vision was blurred and hazy- she could hardly see, hardly feel, but there was undoubtedly somebody pinning her to the ground, laying across her front. She could smell the alcohol on his breath- she could feel his heartbeat racing, pulsing through his fingertips as he held her down. She let out a choked sob of a breath, her mind scattered... it was only months later that she had realised what had truly happened that night._

_She'd tried to struggle, but his grip only tightened around her wrists, leaving bruises she'd be forced to hide with concealer when she went to lunch with her brother the next day. She winced as his lips grazed her cheek- so familiar, and yet... yet the familiarity only brought her a sinking sense of terror._

_She tried to cry out, but she couldn't make a sound. She could only whimper as he finished inside, feebly clawing at his chest, mouthing at him to please, stop..._

_He kissed her goodnight, tucked her into bed, and left the room without another word._

_"You drugged me!" She screamed at him months later when she realised what was happening. They never slept together anymore, they never even spoke- he drank and drank away at his stash of alcohol, mixing it with powders and smoking strange substances that caused his eyes to turn red and glassy. He wasn't the charming, charismatic man she'd thought she loved. He was a monster._

_He glared at her from across the table, smoking some kind of expensive cigar. He blew the smoke into her face without even flinching._

_"How am I supposed to be with a wife who doesn't ever leave her room?" Mark uttered lowly. "A wife who doesn't want to talk to me- who loathes spending time with me?"_

_"What does that have to do with any of this?" Celine fumed, folding her arms._

_Mark's glare only intensified. "I am your husband, Celine. I gave my all to you- and you repay me by sneaking around behind my back? I know about you and William."_

_"About... what? I would never-"_

_"Staying up together, drinking together," Mark continued, his voice deepening. "Messing around with my goddamn cousin- I told you to stay away from him, Celine. He's seduced you, and now... now he's taken you from me."_

_"Will and I aren't sneaking around," Celine argued. "How could you think I would do that? I've always been faithful to you- you're the one that gets cozy with your co-stars off set in the trailers-!"_

_"And we're back to this," Mark sighed vehemently. "You still think I had sex with her? Celine, it's been three years and you still don't trust me?"_

_"You came home with lipstick stains all down your shirt," Celine defended. "Bright, red lipstick. It wasn't mine,"_

_"It was a prop!" Mark snarled. "Yes, alright, I drugged you! You're so damn insufferable that I can never spend time with you, you lock yourself away, and unlike you I'm honourable! I don't sleep with your family members, I'm only faithful to you- and let me tell you, I have seen plenty of women on set that would make better wives than you!"_

_She slapped him- how could she let that stand? He was accusing her of sleeping with a man she considered a friend, he was justifying slipping her drugs because he didn't like the idea of her spending time alone. He deserved it, and then some._

_He punched her in the jaw, she pulled at his hair, clawing at his skin with designer nails that left long, red lines down his front. His robe was torn- her dress was ripped in two. She remembered hitting her head against the side of the table, remembered shoving him into the wall and banging her fists against his chest. Something broke- she wasn't sure what. Neither had been game enough to visit a medical professional, lest word come out about how rocky their relationship had become._

_They'd ended up making love on that table, though it was a little less about love and more about the weak, pathetic hope of asserting dominance over one another. She'd come out of it with bruises and a limp, he'd left her with little cuts oozing red all over his body. She'd hated it- she'd hated him. She couldn't live like this anymore. The first ever scars were starting to heal over now, it had been so long, and there were plenty more to hide with every passing day..._

_Three months later, she found herself sleeping soundly for the first time in what seemed like years, with a man cuddled up next to her. But it wasn't Mark- no, they hadn't even slept in the same room since their argument. It was Will- shirtless, charming, gentle William... what Mark had feared had finally come to pass. She'd slept with him, and she felt absolutely no remorse. He was lucky that she didn't just up and leave right now, like Will wanted her to. He'd been staying on and off, between training and fighting in the wars, and he'd been promoted to Major now. Celine was proud of him- he worked for his medals, and he never flaunted them. He was a good man._

_He was nothing like the husband Celine had come to loathe._

_"Run away with me," he urged her, fingers trailing through her hair like Mark's had used to do so long ago. "We can start a new life together,"_

_"I can't," Celine had muttered in return. "I... I have people I care about here,"_

_And he'd laughed- and looking back, Dark supposed it was entirely laughable. People she cared about? The chef was nasty, the butler was old and crude- Mark himself was never even home anymore. Her father had perished in an automobile accident, and her mother would urge her to leave if she only knew..._

_All she was worried about was Damien. Damien... he'd never understand. He looked up to Mark, he admired him. He'd never believe that he was causing Celine pain..._

_And suddenly, the vision shifted._

_"Are you sure she's alright?" Damien asked, leaning on his cane as he spoke to Mark through the phone line. "Being left alone for two months, while you're in Spain?"_

_"Of course she's alright," Mark spat on the other end, sounding as though he was hurried. "She wouldn't miss me,"_

_Damien winced, his grip tightening on the receiver. "Still not well between you two?"_

_"I don't know how you can stand her," Mark sighed in frustration. "She's so... bossy. Snappy. Always telling me what I should and shouldn't do, acting like my damn mother..."_

_"Mark-"_

_"Don't try to talk me down from this again, Damien!" He snapped._

_Damien fell silent, fingers brushing against his cane nervously. He'd never heard Mark so stressed, not since his mother had passed all those years ago. He was worried- oblivious, yes, but worried. For both Mark and his sister, and of course poor William. He could only wish that he'd kept close contact with them, instead of dedicating his life to his duties, his studies..._

_"I'm sorry," Damien sighed, hanging up the call when it seemed that Mark didn't want to talk anymore._

_"Sounds rough," a familiar voice sounded, a sad smile painted upon her lips. "Home situation? The missus unhappy?"_

_Damien chuckled softly despite the tone of the conversation, turning to face his closest friend with a half-hearted smile. She was smiling as well- leaning over his desk in a manner that he supposed would have appealed to any of his fellow council workers- but he wasn't interested. She wasn't really his type- none of the women who held jobs here really took his fancy..._

_"I'm unmarried, Denise, you know that," he sighed. "You're being awfully forward today... I take it your own partnership is on the rocks?"_

_Denise nodded solemnly. "Ah, yes... I found him skulking around with another woman, frolicking on the shoreline while we were on holiday in Florida... needless to say, I won't be seeing him again,"_

_"I'm sorry," Damien spoke, but Denise only chuckled as she shook her head._

_"He was such a drag," she scoffed. "Couldn't keep a conversation going to save his life, the only thing he had going for him was money and the size of his-"_

_Damien coughed loudly, face a little red with embarrassment. Because he'd met with Denise's previous lover before- they'd taken their fourth session of university sitting together in the lecture hall, and Damien could say he certainly did have his looks up to scratch. He was ashamed to admit that his mind had wandered below the hem of the man's trousers more than a few times- but he'd dismissed it as simple curiosity at the time._

_It was only recently that he'd finally acknowledged that he was a homosexual, but strangely, the self-admission did nothing to soothe his mind. He'd known all along, deep down, that he was hardly interested in women- and that would normally be fine, but he'd always been rather enraptured by the masculine form instead. He'd had a few friendships that had gotten out of hand, a couple of close friends he'd found himself developing what could only be described as crushes on, yet he'd never told them as such. How could he? They'd take him for a freak, they'd be disgusted... no, his sexuality was a topic best not shared with the public._

_Now, most of them were married, and had young children. Damien was the last of his colleagues, the last of his friends, most probably the last twenty-nine year old man in the whole of California to settle down with a nice woman and start a family. He was certain that even others that shared his perversion were living out their lives as expected, but some part of him still held out for a possibility, however slim, that he'd find a man worth risking his career for._

_Humph. And to think he was almost thirty years old..._

_"Oh, there's no need to be so embarrassed," Denise teased lightly, nudging him in the shoulder. "I'm sure you measure up quite well-"_

_"Denise, please," Damien interceded, holding his reddened face in his hands. "With all due respect, it isn't as if I come into the office and start talking about the size of your breasts,"_

_"You know, you're one of the first men I met who didn't immediately objectify me by comparing the size of my chest to that of other women," Denise pondered. "And the only ones who don't objectify women are usually either decent or gay- more often than not it's the latter,"_

_Damien froze- she knew. It couldn't be coincidental- had she heard him talking in his sleep when they'd shared a dorm at University? Had she realised that his gaze had lingered on one particularly charming young man during lectures in their sophomore year- a man that had recently invited Damien to his wedding? Did she piece together that all those nights he'd claimed he was studying in the library, he was actually sitting in the garden, reading a silly romance novel and wondering if he'd ever meet someone who'd sweep him off his crippled feet...?_

_He hadn't realised he was crying until she wiped away at his tears- she looked almost sorrowful, gazing down at him with those piercing blue eyes. "Oh, dear- I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to make you-"_

_"Denise," Damien interceded, closing his eyes shamefully. "It's nothing,"_

_She sighed vehemently. "I'm not going to tell anyone, you silly man- I've known since the very first lecture, when I caught you positively lusting after our professor. I've known about it for years,"_

_Damien shivered, still a little too shocked to let Denise's words sink in. "I... years? Really?"_

_"Nobody else knows," Denise clarified. "If they do, they don't care about it. I know several people that want to stop you getting elected again, and if they had the slightest idea that you're interested in men, they'd have spread some slander against you already,"_

_Damien visibly relaxed. "I... you've really known all this time?"_

_Denise smirked. "You didn't take a single note in his class- and every time I looked over at you, you were staring into space with a smile on your face. It wasn't hard to figure out,"_

_"Oh, hush," Damien chuckled breathlessly, still a little nervous about being open about this part of his life for the first time... ever. "You didn't take any notes in that class either, let me remind you..."_

_"I have no idea how we passed freshman year," Denise smiled. "But we did, and we're here- you deserve this job, Damien. I wouldn't jeopardise that, just because you're eyeing off my partners instead of me,"_

_Denise... she really had been a good friend. So accepting, and open, and willing to help Damien get out and find a boyfriend, no matter how illegal it was at the time- would she be happy for him, now? No, no she'd hardly be pleased... whether he'd meant to or not, Damien had helped to steal her body, leaving her trapped in that awful house... he'd never had a friend more dear than she._

_"I'd love to meet him," she'd said over the phone when Damien offered to take her with him on that fateful night. He'd been nervous- Mark hadn't so much as spoken a word to him in eight years, ever since Celine had left him to live with Will. And Damien felt he couldn't blame the man for that- he was positively heartbroken. Damien himself rarely even spoke to his sister, anymore. He'd found himself dedicating more of his time to his mayoral duties, staying late at the office, drinking away his loneliness while his associates took their wives out to fancy dinners by the shoreline..._

_He was thirty-nine years old, for Christ's sake. He should be married, he should be a father- he shouldn't still be hung up on some far fetched concept of true love that these times simply wouldn't accommodate for. Denise had presented him with various candidates for a one night stand before she'd left, pursuing a lasting relationship with a lover in San Francisco- but Damien didn't care for a purely sexual relationship. He wanted someone to wake up to, and cuddle, and kiss, and go on long walks with, and watch romantic comedies in the drive-in with... he wanted what everyone else already had._

_But he wanted it with another man. A man that Damien was starting to believe didn't really exist at all._

_"I mean, I've met him, but he wouldn't remember me," Denise continued. "We had school together until he dropped out to become an actor, remember?"_

_"Ah, yes," Damien agreed. "You were always quite the little monster... I remember, mother didn't want to let you stay over for our study sessions, because she thought we were sneaking around..."_

_"We were barely sixteen," Denise chuckled. "You never told her?"_

_"What, tell my Orthodox Jewish mother that I fancy sleeping with men? Why would I ever do that?"_

_"Because she's your mother," Denise frowned. "She was so nice to me- well, when she didn't think I was corrupting you, of course. She doesn't seem like the kind of person to throw out her child over something so trivial,"_

_"I'm nearly forty years old, Denise, and I haven't even blessed the woman with children yet. I think... I think she's figured it out."_

_There were a few moments of silence._

_"Did you ever... sorry for the personal question, but, did you ever have a crush on Mark?"_

_Damien choked- oh, fuck, she knew about that too? Despite having not seen Denise in easily five years, she certainly still knew things about him that even he hadn't thought about for decades. How had she known? It wasn't as though they'd even been close friends, then- and it wasn't something Damien would ever bring up in conversation. It had been his own dirty little secret, his fascination with his dearest friend- not even Celine had known..._

_"When I was fourteen years old?" Damien managed, trying his best to hide his flushed cheeks, though nobody was watching. "Of course I did- everyone did, and it all went to his head, mind you..."_

_"I knew I wasn't hallucinating all those times you two never broke eye contact-"_

_"It's been over twenty years now, Denise," Damien sighed. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but... but Mark and I would never work out. My sister broke his heart- I'm not even certain that he'd want to see me again,"_

_"Well, he clearly does," Denise said pointedly. "He wouldn't have invited you if he didn't. I'm just saying, if the opportunity arises-"_

_"It won't," Damien shook his head. "I'm not a confused fourteen year old anymore- I want love, and commitment, and not a man who'll use me as a rebound for my own sister- and I'm quite certain he doesn't swing that way, if you catch my drift..."_

_"Just a thought," Denise dismissed. "Well, in any case- I'll see you there on Friday. Thanks again for getting me this job, Damien- I just finished moving into the office,"_

_"I knew you'd love it," Damien smiled, thankful for the turn of the conversation. The blush creeping up his cheeks, the heavy breathing- that wasn't the response of someone who had a simple crush when they were a child. He'd really cared for Mark, perhaps even more than he should have- but he wouldn't let his confusing feelings cloud his judgment now. He was a decent enough man to let his own emotions sit idle in moments like these, after all._

_"Is Calabasas treating you well?" Damien murmured._

_"My neighbours are a little loud, but they'll be in for a shock when I finally get enough friends around here to host a party. You'll be the first guest on my invite list- oh, and I know a young man who'd just love to meet you-"_

_"Goodbye, Denise," Damien muttered fondly, ending the call and looking wistfully out of his window. Perhaps he shouldn't be pushing everyone away, just for the sake of keeping his job as the mayor. It was stressful at times, certainly unforgiving- and while it paid the bills and then some, Damien had always felt more at home in the country..._

_The next scene was all too familiar- he stood at the manor's facade, with an overnight carry bag in one hand and his cane in the other. It seemed... colder, than he remembered. But that could very well be the cool October air settling in, so he shrugged away the pit of dread that welled inside, and approached the door._

_"Ah, bonjour!"_

_The man that greeted him was young- possibly just out of school. He didn't look a day over twenty-three, and his outfit was impeccably neat and tidy- he must have been Mark's new butler, heaven knows he'd needed a replacement for years... Damien wondered what had happened to the old man that used to live here, keeping the place up to scratch? He couldn't be very healthy, if he was even still alive..._

_"Welcome to Markiplier Manor- you must be the mayor,"_

_"Yes- it's nice to meet you, er...?"_

_"My name is Benjamin, sir," the butler introduced. "Here- let me take your bags for you,"_

_"Thank you," Damien nodded, watching as the young man trekked dutifully upstairs with his luggage. He spared a moment to look around- there were hardly any pictures on the walls. Old cabinets and dining hutches lined them, now, and a delicious smell was wafting from the kitchen- had Mark gotten a new chef as well?_

_Before he could really go anywhere, he heard a voice- an unfamiliar one, coming from behind him. He turned- a balding man in a deerstalker cap approached him, looking a little sceptical. He smiled anyway, offering the newcomer his hand- the stranger shook it carefully._

_"Mayor Pechman," the stranger greeted him. "I'm Abe- detective for the local police force,"_

_"Ah- it's nice to meet you," Damien smiled. "And please- it's just Damien. Are you here for the poker night?"_

_"Yes, yes- it's strange to see you here of all places. You know Mark?"_

_"Oh yes, we were actually... childhood friends," Damien responded, deciding not to mention that his sister had cuckolded the man. "Until I moved away in my early thirties, I visited nearly every week. Yet since, I'll admit, I... I hadn't heard a peep from him in years. I'm almost scared to see what he's been hiding from me all this time,"_

_"You and me both, pal," Abe sighed. "He hadn't spoken to me in six years. And all of a sudden, he wants all of us back here? Something's up,"_

_"Oh, please, Mark would never-"_

_The sound of a door creaking interrupted them and they turned to see none other than Denise, nodding to the butler and walking inside. She certainly looked older- Damien hadn't seen her in so long that the slight wrinkles by her eyes and the slimness of her figure took him completely off guard._

_He shook himself out of his slight shock. She'd likely be as charming as ever, despite how her appearance had changed. "Oh- there you are, old friend. How are you settling into your new office?"_

_"Just like home," she smiled at him, staring curiously after the detective. "Who's that?"_

_"An old friend of Mark's, apparently," Damien hummed. "I'm not sure what to make of him yet- but I was sure it would take some more getting used to, after spending so long with Fred in another city..."_

_Denise rolled her eyes. "We're not bringing Frederique into this, not tonight. But there's nobody I'd rather have alongside me- I look forward to many lunch breaks spent drooling over taken men together,"_

_Damien held in his laugh, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. "Oh, I can't take you anywhere, can I... Well, I'm going to take my leave, and see more of the house. I'll see you at the table soon, but- try not to rob me blind again. We'll catch up,"_

_The scene shifted like a puff of smoke, remaking itself hazily into another. The lights were dizzying, the music too loud, and yet at the time nobody had cared. Damien and his friends were sitting around a table, laughing- the poker was long forgotten._

_Denise took a hearty swig of her glass of whiskey, holding up her finger to pause the conversation. Like a drunken fool, Damien let her speak._

_"Y'know Mark," she drawled, tipsy not even beginning to describe her state of mind. "I think youuuu're alright,"_

_Mark had only smiled in response, inclining his head in acknowledgement. "Thank you- and I've found that you're entirely the party animal that our parents had always feared you'd be,"_

_Denise had been so flattered that she'd dragged Damien by the hand to the makeshift dance floor, twirling him around and catching him barely by the fabric of his shirt. His head had been pounding far too much to care- and he laughed, steadying himself clumsily on her shoulder._

_"Denise, where... where have you put my cane?" Damien slurred, feeling around wildly for it. "You know I can't... walk without..."_

_"It's right over here, old friend," Mark offered, bringing over the cane and letting Damien take it from him._

_If he'd been sober, he wouldn't have let himself smile so obviously in return, leaning in and giving Mark a lingering hug around the middle. He'd pressed his head into Mark's shoulder, swaying a little as he found his balance, his tuxedo starting to feel like a burden as something wet seeped onto his chest._

_But he hadn't known nor cared at the time- it was like they were young again, messing around with each other, without a care in the world. Sneaking out and drinking their parents' wine in the garden, playing games by the pool- Damien found himself clinging tighter, not wanting to let those happy memories go._

_Mark had tensed- nobody noticed it, not even Damien, who was being slowly pushed back into Denise's arms. He let out an unwitting, somber sigh._

_"You've spilled wine down yourself, look at you..." Mark spoke almost fondly, gesturing to a deep crimson stain on Damien's white shirt. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up..."_

_He tugged at Damien's arm, leading him out of the room and gesturing for the others to wait for him- Damien's face was flushed red with embarrassment, his eyes teary with weariness. He hadn't noticed in his state of drunken confusion that nobody had been drinking red wine tonight at all._

_"Why'd you want me back here?" Damien uttered after a few moments. Mark's footsteps slowed, and he turned, catching Damien before he could fall over himself. Soft, glassy eyes met cold and determined ones- and looking back, Mark almost seemed remorseful. He sighed, leaving an arm around Damien as he used the other to shrug away Damien's blazer._

_"I don't blame you for what happened between me and your sister," Mark murmured quietly, folding the black fabric over his arm. "That mess... it's nothing to do with you. But you deserve to know the truth, Damien. That's why you're here."_

_"So you..." Damien hiccuped, pressing a hand to his chest and leaning back against the wall. "You don't really... want me here..."_

_Mark's gaze softened, and he let Damien hug him again, this time not pulling away. He wrapped his own arms around the man, the first time someone had held him so tightly in years... Damien couldn't help the crying._

_"I missed you," he sniffled into Mark's shoulder, spilling tears into the red robe Mark had always loved to wear around his home. "I missed you so much..."_

_"I missed you too," Mark said in return, regret thick in his tone as he let a few tears of his own shed. "All these years, I... I wanted to call. But she wouldn't let me talk to you,"_

_Damien hadn't cared about the words- he'd been so lost in the moment that just hearing that his dearest friend still missed him was enough to stir something in his chest. He was moving, his heart pounding loudly in his ears, even louder than the music- and then... then his lips met something warm and soft._

_The kiss wasn't his first- Damien may never have found someone to love, but he'd tried- oh, he'd tried... three unsuccessful dates had kissed him, then there was the matter of Madeleine Larsen, who'd made out with him on a dare one night at University... yet somehow, even as Dark looked back on the scene with contempt and shame, she knew... this was the first kiss Damien ever had that had felt right to him, no matter how wrong it really was._

_Mark didn't pull away at first, too stunned to comprehend the situation unfolding- and then, Damien realised what he'd done. He broke the kiss, even more tears spilling from his eyes, figuring he'd ruined his friendship- and his career too, quite possibly. What had he been thinking? He knew Mark didn't want him- he knew he didn't even want Mark, not really. And it had been so many years..._

_"Oh my, I-I, I'm so sorry, I didn't-"_

_Mark didn't let him go- they were alone in the hallway, and Damien was weak at the knees. Damien sniffled to himself again as he found himself pressed up against the wall, Mark holding him there gently as he wiped away his tears._

_"Now, I... I must admit, I didn't miss you quite that much,"_

_"I'm sorry, Mark, I don't know what-"_

_"Let's just... call it heat of the moment,"_

_Damien had looked up, confused, and scared, and ashamed. Mark's eyes had mirrored Damien's own, shining with tears as he forced a smile, handing Damien his cane again. Somehow, even though it shouldn't have been possible, Dark felt that Mark had known about Damien's conflicting feelings all along._

_"I'm going to send Benjamin up to give you something to... to take the edge off. It'll help you relax,"_

_"But-"_

_"You're dead on your feet," Mark argued, folding his arms. "You've partied like an animal tonight- you need to rest."_

_Damien had wanted to argue further, but he knew it would quickly get awkward if he remained. He felt like Mark was trying to get rid of him- and he had been, but Damien hadn't even considered that he'd wanted to set up his own murder instead. He'd let Mark take him to his room, taking the pills that the butler offered him- and he'd been out like a light before he knew it._

_The next morning, he could barely recall the kiss at all._

The real world hit them like a punch to the nose, city lights and the sounds of traffic flooding their senses as they realised they were now standing by a closed cafe. Mark sprung back, eyes wide and glassy with tears, holding his hand as though he'd been shocked- what the  _hell_  was that?

"You saw..." Dark muttered quietly, her breathing just a little erratic, and her heart racing in her chest. She'd shown people her memories before, of course, but this time, it... it was just all too  _real_.

"I-I  _felt_  it," Mark stuttered out, looking more shaken than even the day Dark had managed to blow up his camera. "Like I w-was... like I was there, it... that was  _real_?"

"Every part of it," Dark murmured, shame pooling in her gut at the more embarrassing, unpleasant pieces of her past she'd been forced to relive. "I... I didn't mean for you to see... any of that,"

"He drugged you?" Mark asked incredulously, his voice cracking at the end of the sentence. " _Raped_  you? That's more than just beating you-"

"I  _know_ , Mark," Dark uttered, folding her arms slowly. "I... I didn't want you to worry for me. It's been... it's been over forty years since that man has been able to hurt me- and truly, I... I didn't remember a thing,"

"That's bullshit," Mark started. "You remember all of that- if you didn't, you wouldn't have been able to show me. This... this is serious, Dark, this kind of trauma, it... it isn't healthy to bottle it up,"

"I know," Dark muttered again. "I... I'm working on it."

"Is there a way I can... I don't know, help?" Mark asked, meeting Dark's scared and lonely eyes with an uncertain gaze. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about, when you've already seen it all...?" Dark sighed. "What more is there to show you? The apartment I burned to the ground, to destroy the body he stole from me? The years I spent hunting him, moving from country to country, learning every language known to man, just to fulfil my twisted sense of justice?"

Mark swallowed uncertainly. "I... I don't know, just... I can't stand around while you torture yourself like this, Dark. I know there's a reason you haven't told Anti about it yet- and if there's nobody you can trust, I... I'm sorry. Just know that, if you ever need to talk about... about anything, I'll... I'll be there,"

Dark looked at him warily. Mark had never cared about her- Mark had barely even spoken to her until he'd brought her to that awful place, and she'd been forced to tell him who she really was. Their relationship was... well, strange barely seemed to cover it. But she trusted him, as ludicrous as it was. She may not have liked him when he was growing up, but he was family- he was a grandchild and a nephew to her, and she saw parts of herself in him every day...

"Did you ever notice that strange, unexplainable things tend to happen around you?" Dark murmured suddenly, coming to a realisation.

Mark tilted his head curiously. "I mean- aside from having a demon grandpa who follows me around and dates my friend's alter ego, uh... no?"

"Admittedly, it is quite strange when you put it like that," Dark sighed. "No, I mean... like remembering things that haven't happened yet. Feeling things you shouldn't be able to feel. Small, subtle differences, that just... that make you more aware of the world around you,"

Mark paused. "I... I guess, I've always been able to tell when people are lying to me?"

Dark smiled softly. "That is curious... but noteworthy all the same. You see, Mark, you and I... we aren't so different. We could... we could help each other, but instead we both dance around each other as if a meeting between us means disaster. We're both prideful, stubborn... we both possess talents that most others would kill to have. But it only ever ends in more pain, doesn't it?"

Mark let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, yeah it... it does. I... how did you know?"

Dark shrugged. "You're a direct descendant of Damien, Mark. Damien and his sister... they were gifted. Their father was gifted, and his mother before him... subtle gifts. Seeing things that others can't. Feeling things that shouldn't be felt. Knowing things that it's impossible to know. Speaking with things, that..."

Dark shivered, cutting herself off harshly as the torment of her very existence flooded her mind.  _Demons_. It had all started with lonely, meddlesome demons...

"So you're saying I'm some kind of witch?" Mark asked disbelievingly. "I mean... that's a... a stretch. This is a circumstance where the lying thing makes everything so much more complicated, because... well, I know you're not lying. But I also know that people like me aren't magic, or... or sorcerers or anything. We just have a, a keen sense for things like this,"

"A sixth sense," Dark corrected him. "It's not all that uncommon, really... don't expect to be able to fly, or move objects with your mind. You're still only human, but... but you're a special kind of human. An enlightened kind."

Mark let out a nervous chuckle at what he assumed was meant to be some sort of praise. He wasn't used to Dark being so... so civil with him, not yet. "Heh, I... thanks, I guess? But seriously- if you ever need to talk, I'm-"

"Do you think that I'm lying when I say... when I tell Anti about... about how I feel for him?"

Mark trailed off, eyes widening a little as he looked at Dark again. If possible, she seemed even more distressed, even more worried than she'd been when talking about the other Mark... and then, it clicked. She'd made her peace with what happened between Celine, Damien and Mark. She didn't think about it anymore, she didn't care for it- her hopes and regrets had all burned away when she'd burned his body, all those decades ago.

But she was still unsure about Anti. And that... well, that was something Mark could understand. They were having a baby, and they were hardly ready for it- Dark was dying, and nobody knew what would happen to the child if Dark managed to perish while carrying her. They'd only been friendly again for a matter of months, of course Dark was worried...

"I..." Mark started, unsure of how exactly to word this. He wished it was as straightforward as a yes or no answer, but... "Well- it hasn't been noticeable if you have been. Why, exactly?"

Dark let out a deep, chilling sigh. "Because... because sometimes I'm unsure if it's really me that wants him at all. Emotional manipulation, it... it's a terrible thing. I could be doing it to myself, just... just wanting to  _believe_  that I love him. I'm... I'm uncertain,"

"You don't trust yourself?" Mark gathered. Dark nodded, biting her lip. Fresh, hot tears welled and tumbled down her cheeks.

"Okay, uh... well, that's something we can talk about, I guess. But look, Dark, we should probably get going. Standing out in the street like this, it's just a recipe for disaster,"

"Right, right..." Dark muttered. "I... thank you, Mark, it... it means a lot,"

Mark offered her another smile- and this time, it was just a little more understanding than it had been before. She hadn't meant to show him any of that- she hadn't meant to tell anyone about what Mark did to her, what Celine really felt, what Damien had believed until moments before he'd died... and yet, sharing these memories seemed to have made her relationship with Mark just a little more... sturdy.  _Stronger_. More based on trust than on simple blood relation.

"Come on, then," Mark beckoned, leading Dark across the road and opening the restaurant door for her once more. This time, Dark didn't feel like he was mocking her. This time, Mark was happy to see Dark send him a look of approval. "We need your help picking the wedding songs, and the design for the cake,"

Dark chuckled under her breath, but Mark could hear the slight choking sound beneath the laughter. She was upset. She was hurt, and Mark couldn't do a damn thing to help her.

Nothing but listen to her woes, and offer her advice, and tell her if he felt she was lying about her feelings for the father of her child. Mark would like to think that she wasn't- but at the same time, he'd never been wrong before. And in all the moments he'd seen Dark and Anti together, he'd felt... he'd felt like it was off. Like Dark wasn't exactly lying, but perhaps, not telling the entire truth.

He offered her a fake smile, realising that Dark really had been right before. They were similar. They both put on smiles, laughed at nothing to hide it when something was wrong... they both bottled themselves and their feelings up until they burst, then had to pick up the pieces afterwards.

Maybe, they'd be able to help each other through this. Just maybe...

Across the street in a small alley between a fast food store and a pub stood a man shrouded in darkness. He was staring after them, glaring at them, the only thing keeping him rooted in place being the bright lights outside the restaurant, and the fear of being caught. All he had on him was a pocket knife, after all- he'd hardly be able to finish the job out in the open like this. He needed a long range weapon- that, or the cover of darkness on his side.

And so he watched them as they ascended the stairs of the restaurant, unable to make a move against them, for now. The waiting game was long, and cruel, but effective- he'd waited eighty-three years for this opportunity. He wasn't about to blow it now.

Markiplier turned, walking slowly to the end of the alley. With any luck, the Colonel would come to the scene, and then they'd all be right where he wanted them to be. The tale would come to its end- and he'd finally be able to rest easy. It was what he deserved after such a long and arduous past, wasn't it?

Wasn't it?

Sometimes, without the constant muttering and breathing down his neck, he wasn't so sure.

But this was his last chance to make things right again. To remove those who should never have existed, to fix what he'd done to them all those years ago.

They'd be thankful, wouldn't they?

Wouldn't they?

They'd finally be free.

_All of them would finally be free..._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys would not believe the month I have had- I had two assignments due by the 14th this month, and the first hurdle was my computer shorting out and breaking. It was all fine after a day of leaving it alone- but by that point, the internet had dropped, and I don't have reliable phone signal here so I had no internet access for about a week. Then, I had to visit my parents' house just to have internet- it's seven hours travel to and from, but I got that sorted and went home. Ha. My computer broke again- this was the 16th. I only just got it fixed and running again.
> 
> I posted this chapter to Wattpad (and boy oh boy, typing 19k words doesn't work well on iPads) but the formatting wouldn't carry over when I copy-pasted here, so you guys are getting this chapter two days later than them. I'm just glad I have my computer back again- next chapter is in the works, should be up soon :)


	35. Chapter 34

******~Void~**

"So, uh... how are you today?"

Jameson looked up from the book he'd been reading, tilting his head curiously to one side. Jackie had been sitting with Septiplier on the sofa opposite him, but the fusion wasn't there anymore- he must have gone upstairs to check on Halter. Whatever was happening with the androids seemed to be taking quite a while, and Jameson knew that the two of them had plans to go back to Halter's place for a movie night later on.

Who'd have thought... in all the time Jameson had known him, Septiplier had felt as though his very existence was a burden on them. It was nice to see him out again, smiling, spending time with somebody he loved. It was a wonderful feeling, Jameson knew. The first promise of a lasting relationship, it was always the most important...

The promises, the apologies, the excuses afterwards? People tended to get so caught up in them that they'd forget about why they'd stayed with their lover in the first place. Jameson didn't like to think about the sad parts- he acknowledged them, but he didn't dwell. He'd much rather remember the happy days and nights for what they were than hate his lover for what had happened afterwards.

Jameson set down his book, folding the corner of his page as he smiled warmly up at the superhero. After the meeting the other night, he'd been so scared that his family would shun him away... that they'd treat him as if he was an outsider, because he'd slept with one of his own. But that wasn't the case at all- no, if anything, they just seemed worried for him. Worried that his breakup with Wilford had made him unstable, worried that he was resorting to one night stands as a coping method...

But what had happened with Anti? That wasn't something Jameson liked doing, not at all... he'd seen how hurt the glitch was by what they'd done. He didn't want to facilitate that happening to anyone, ever again. He'd been lost, and confused, and in pain... but he'd decided that thinking of Wilford wasn't going to bring him down anymore.

 _'I am doing quite well,'_  Jameson signed, gesturing for Jackie to take a seat next to him.  _'What about you?'_

"I'm..." Jackie sighed, twiddling his red clad thumbs nervously. "I'm a little lonely, I'll admit. Schneep's busy figuring out something to do with Anti, and Marvin and Robbie aren't here... having Necro around just isn't the same. Chase is spending time with his kid, and... well, that just leaves us two,"

Jameson raised an eyebrow.  _'His kid?'_

"He's practically adopted that new Bing android," Jackie smiled, if a little sadly. "I think having a stand-in child who actually wants to be one will be good for him. But there's nobody to talk to around here... not that you're bad to talk to! I mean, I just..."

Jackie sighed heavily, folding his arms and staring at the ground. "I don't know you as well as I know them, you know?"

Jameson placed a comforting hand on Jackie's shoulder, setting his book aside. He snapped his fingers to get Jackie's attention, smiling when the hero looked up at him, the slight fear in his cobalt blue eyes just barely hidden by his mask.

 _'Then let's get to know each other,'_ Jameson offered _. 'I like reading, and watching arthouse films. What do you enjoy?'_

Jackie's lips split into a soft smile, rubbing his hands together nervously. "I like-"

The crashing of the front door startled them apart, but neither had even realised how close they'd been sitting. A strangely familiar man with bright green hair and flaming orange wings stumbled through, panting heavily- Jackie stood in alarm.

"What the  _shite_ -"

Jameson pulled him back as a bright flash engulfed the room, and for a moment it felt as though he was burning. He held Jackie close, eyes shut tightly as the heat caused the very blood in his veins to bubble- and Jackie wrapped his fingers around Jameson's hands, squeezing so hard that Jameson was afraid his bones would splinter.

But not a moment too soon, the firestorm ended.

"Shit..." Anti groaned, limbs entangled with a newcomer who looked a lot like the human who'd visited a couple months ago. Jameson hadn't really talked to him- but Wilford had told him all about the strange adventure, when Dark was trapped in the Groundlands.

"Blaze? What did we..."

"We kicked ass, that's what we did," Blaze coughed, rolling off the top of the glitch and getting to his feet. Jackie rushed over to help- and Jameson followed suit, their previous conversation long forgotten.

"I'm pretty sure we ran away..." Anti mumbled in disagreement, letting Jackie tug him to a standing position. "But what... why did I let...?"

" _Jaysus_ , you look scorched," Jackie tsked disapprovingly, dusting Anti's front off- particles of what seemed to be ash had been clinging to his shirt. "What happened to you two?"

"We got ambushed by a couple of bitches," Blaze huffed, out of breath as if he'd been running. "Anti couldn't beat them alone- I fused with him to help him out, and..."

Jameson walked over, tilting Anti's head up to get a good look at him. His cheek was a little burned- but it was healing up just fine. His lip was bleeding, and his hair was blackened and charred at the tips. His eyes watered solemnly, and he flinched away from Jameson's touch, pressing himself instead into Blaze's side.

Jameson couldn't help but feel a little... hurt? Was Anti still scared of him?

"It's not you," Blaze explained apologetically, running a hand over the side of Anti's face. Miraculously, all of his cuts and burns seemed to vanish before their eyes. Jameson did a double take.

"Is zat Anti? Komm, Schatz, er ist down hier!"

Anti looked up to see Schneep coming down the stairs, not exactly running, but he was quite close. He looked curiously at the rest of the assembled egos, staring at them until they realised that he was here on professional medical business, and wanted them to make themselves scarce. Jackie tugged Jameson away reluctantly, nodding to Schneep- and Doc stumbled down the stairs, looking equally as hurried as his lover.

They must have found something- and if the look on Doc's face was any indication, it wasn't something good...

Blaze stood his ground, wrapping an arm around Anti's shoulder. He glared back at Schneep with a fierce intensity, flames dancing threateningly across his skin. His friend had already gone through enough trouble today, and he wanted to make sure there wouldn't be any more. Anti didn't deserve this- he really was a good man, if a little... well, knife-happy.

"Anti- Christ almighty, what happened to you?" Doc asked in concern, noting his flushed skin and his slightly swelled lip.

"I... I don't know," Anti sniffed. He wiped at his eyes furiously, but tiredly- his head was pounding with voices he'd thought were long forgotten in his mind. He could still taste her upon his lips, he could still feel her pressed up against his body, pinning him down... he'd  _let her do it_. It was Jameson all over again, and he didn't think it was possible to feel any  _worse_. He'd thought he was fine- he'd thought he was healed up and ready to commit to Dark again, but... but then why hadn't he tried to get away from the malicious ego that had trapped him?

"Ve have to talk to you," Schneep exclaimed, beckoning for Anti to come with him, shooting Blaze a glare when he tried to follow. " _Alone_ , please,"

"But-" Blaze tried to argue, and Anti shivered in his grip.

"He comes with me," Anti swallowed.

"Bist du certain, Anti?" Schneep asked him uncertainly. "Es ist about ze test, ve have some results you might vant to-"

"He stays," Anti said a little more firmly. "I need... I just need  _someone_ , right now,"

The doctors exchanged a confused, wary glance.

"Uh... okay, come to our office," Doc reluctantly agreed, keeping a close eye on the way Blaze's arm was wrapped around Anti's shoulder. He knew Blaze, in a way- the flaming ego had been the only thing on Daniel's mind when they'd fused all those weeks ago. It was strange to finally meet him- he was tall, alarmingly tall, standing half a foot taller than the rest of them- closer to Septiplier than the others in height. The way his eyes narrowed when he caught Doc staring was enough to intimidate him into standing down.

Schneep hurried them up the stairs, shoving past President and Necro, who were just leaving Google's room. The fusions looked at them in confusion, probably not expecting them to be home so soon- but they didn't have time to speak before Anti and Blaze were whisked into the doctors' office, the door closing behind them. Necro blinked after them, hand tightening around President's subconsciously.

"I wonder what that's about..." Necro murmured.

"The sample results are back," President answered, face falling a little as the realisation sunk in. "Antithesis is-"

"Not ze father," Schneep announced, throwing down a few sheets of paper dramatically when Anti took his seat. Doc was standing a little uncomfortably next to his fiancé as the good doctor started pacing on the spot, awaiting a response from their patient.

Anti... he was silent. Processing.  _Brooding?_

"Okay," he muttered simply.

"Okay?!" Blaze asked incredulously, looking more than a little shocked and disturbed by the news. "You mean- you're okay with Dark  _cheating_  on you-"

"He didn't cheat," Anti interrupted, shaking his head. "But he did sleep with... with someone, a few days before we got together. It... it makes sense. How could you guys tell?"

The question was directed at the doctors- and Schneep was evidently all too happy to explain. He turned on his heel, facing Anti, pointing to a messy note scribbled on his paper.

"No sperm count," Doc supplied. "Henrik discovered it- after looking over your sample and finding nothing immediately out of the ordinary, we tested composition and fertility. There were no sperm cells in the sample- none at all."

"Now, zhere are a number of things zat could cause low or null sperm counts," Schneep elaborated. "Things like- absence of ze vas deferens, or injury, or in extreme cases, cysts und disease,"

"You think I'm  _diseased_?" Anti asked, scared confusion ringing in his tone.

"Nein," Schneep shook his head. "Besides, I vould need another sample to make a true diagnosis, if zat vere ze case. I found ze lack of gametes in your system quite concerning- but I had ze thought zat it might be an ego thing. After all, ve do not need such systems vorking- ve cannot sustain life in zis immaterial vorld."

"You mean none of us have sperm?" Blaze asked, mild anger giving way to curiosity now. "At all?"

"Not quite," Doc interrupted. "I've had semen samples come back with a regular sperm count before, when I've had to test some... ah, other egos, for infection."

"Past fuckbuddies," Schneep dismissed, scoffing at Doc's lousy attempt to disguise his past affairs. "Er did it to me as vell- I had ze low sperm count at ze time, but ve did not look into it, thinking it vas not important."

"But it  _was_  important," Doc interceded before Anti could speak again. The glitch met his eyes, pleading for some kind of answer.  _Poor guy_... he'd just found out that his baby wasn't even his own, and now he looked worried beyond belief about the possibility of having a disease. Well, luckily for everyone, that didn't seem to be the case at all.

"How many times had you und Dark been together sexually before ze first intercourse?" Schneep probed.

Anti flushed, and Blaze pretended to admire something in the opposite half of the room. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable, but... well, now he guessed he understood why the doctors had wanted him to stay outside for this. Would he have remained in Anti's living room if he'd known what they were coming here to discuss?

By the way Anti hadn't let go of his hand just yet, Blaze decided he wouldn't have. Anti was clearly drawing some comfort from his presence, and it wasn't like they hadn't discussed their sex lives before... well, their  _ideal_  sex lives, anyway. He'd rather face a few mildly embarrassing questions than know that Anti was struggling without him, after all.

"Uh... I don't know, like, six, seven times?" Anti replied as best he could, voice sounding thick with emotion despite not showing any signs of tears. "I wasn't keeping track- but what does that have to do with-?"

"Sperm production is usually a constant thing," Doc explained. "A process that is always happening when a man is sexually active- but curiously, in egos, none of us produce any more sperm than what we arrived with. We all come into existence with a set amount of sperm, and soon enough, it diminishes. By the time you and Dark even got around to... uh, what you did, your sperm count would have been nullified. There is no way that the baby is genetically or biologically your own. I... I'm sorry,"

"Don't be sorry," Anti said without hesitation, looking up with a sigh. "I'm not hurt by  _that_ \- Dark already told me about what happened between him and Jack, and... and it's no point getting upset about it again. It happened, it's in the past, and... and I'm not bothered. If he wants the baby, I'd like to see him try to take her from us," he chuckled half-heartedly.

"Are you so certain he does not vant custody?" Schneep asked in confusion.

"Schneep, he doesn't even want to think about Dark and  _I_  having this child," Anti deadpanned. "He doesn't want anything to do with her, really. And I don't care who the biological father is, because genetics only matters so much when it comes to being a parent,"

Anti fixed the doctors with a determined stare. "And I'm  _going_  to be her father- I... I love her too much to let her go now..."

"Oh, Anti..." Doc smiled. "That's... that's really sweet of you,"

"Ja," Schneep agreed with a sigh. "But zat does not explain ze glitch- ve found nothing from ze semen sample, so ve can only assume zat es ist nicht ze cause, or zat es ist impossible to observe,"

"Glitch?" Blaze asked worriedly. "You mean... Anti's glitch? That's a cause for concern?"

"You don't know ze full story, do you?" Schneep hummed, fixing Anti with a mildly disappointed stare. Anti shook his head, his mind still clouded- he still felt horrible, and weary, and  _complacent_... like anyone could pin him down and abuse him and he'd be completely powerless to stop it.

He'd probably enjoy it, too...

_Disgusting..._

_A͘g͢a͜_ _įn?_

_How could you_ _̷_ _betra_ _y҉_ _him_ _a͠g͡a̕_ _i_ _n̡_ _?_

_He promised himself to you, but that isn't good enough, is it?_

_Is̸_ _̶̧͘_ _it_ _?̵_ _?_

Anti growled lowly, clutching at the sides of his head. "Shut  _up_ , get out of my fooking head you gobshite pieces of fooking  _ass_ -"

"I think the voices might be back," Doc swallowed uncertainly. "Perhaps the results of the test are more troubling to him than we'd feared..."

"Nein, Schatz, er vas not lying," Schneep denied, eyes widening. "Zhere ist something else going on- you!"

Blaze yelped aloud as Schneep reached out, grabbing his wrist and pulling him closer.

"Vhat happened to Ihn?" Schneep demanded. "Vhy ist he so upset?!"

"Jesus-  _calm down_ , let go of me!" Blaze snapped, shaking his hand free of the doctor's grip. "I had nothing to do with it- I think- look, some bitch pinned him down and put him in some kind of trance out there,"

"Trance?!" Schneep asked in alarm. "Vhat kind of trance- vhat vas er doing?!"

"Love, please, you're overwhelming them," Doc soothed, entwining his fingers with Henrik's and lowering their arms together. Henrik's grip on his hand was tight- he was clearly stressed by the concept of someone messing with Anti's head and causing these hallucinations. Doc found he couldn't blame his lover for that- he too was irked by the thought.

Anti had started to whimper to himself, fingernails clawing at his skin, leaving tiny little cuts that healed over as he made them. That didn't mean it hurt him any less. He was a damn failure, wasn't he? Why should anyone want him around, when even his attempts to move on and be better were fruitless?

"It's all your fault," he murmured to himself, his hair turning bright green again as his eyes flashed dangerously. "I͝t͟'s͏ ͘a͜l͏l ͡y͝our ͢fąult̸, all your fault... ha,  _̨h_ _a͡_ _ha_ , it's all your  _own_   _fault_..."

"Stop zat," Schneep chided, slapping Anti on the wrist and lifting his chin so that they were face to face. "I vill  _not_  let you have a psychotic break over  _zis_. Vhat is your fault, Anti?"

"I kissed her," Anti cackled to himself, tears beading in his eyes. "It was all my... all my  _fault_ , it..."

"It wasn't your fault!" Blaze groaned. "She bewitched you so that you couldn't say no!"

"I didn't say no to Jameson!" Anti cried, arms now covered in smears of red, though the cuts were hardly visible. "If you hadn't pulled me away, I'd... I'd have let her fuck me. That's all I'm good for, a- a stupid little  _toy_ , I'm their  _toy_ , I'm the  _pet,_ I'm-"

"We need to sedate him," Doc uttered breathlessly, turning and rummaging in his drawers as Schneep's eyes widened even further.

"But- Schatz, er does not seem zat bad-"

Anti cackled loudly as if on cue, the tears still spilling from his eyes, startling even Blaze away from him. He didn't seem to notice that the split in his neck had opened again, or that the pulsing of his eyes was sending light reflections around the room, giving it an eerie green tint. He didn't seem to notice...  _anything_.

"Ha, haha, ha ha..." Anti laughed, eyes dazed and staring vacantly ahead. "The pet, the toy- ha, the  _pet_!"

"Vhat are you searching for?" Schneep hissed, not wanting to turn his back on his brother, growing more and more alarmed with every passing moment Anti spent in this state. This wasn't normal for him- this was something that could only have been caused by an extensive break in his psyche. He'd cheated on Dark, again? But his friend seemed to think that the situation was a lot different- and considering the flame covered man was the only one not speaking in tongues, Schneep felt he was the right one to listen to.

"Risperidone," Doc muttered in response, slamming the drawer handle shut. " _Fuck_ , I know I have some- they're little blue pills- help me look,"

"You vant to give Ihn ze same drugs as-?" Schneep started, but Doc held a finger to his lips in warning. His eyes narrowed into a determined stare.

"It's our  _secret_ \- and yes, I fear he needs them right now. He's clearly lost his marbles,"

"Anti?" Blaze asked uncertainly. He ghosted his hand over his friend's arm, and Anti held it tightly as he whined lowly in his throat. He was a prisoner in his own body- he was still  _in there_. Whoever was on the surface, controlling him, making him say these awful things... they had to go. Blaze wouldn't let them hurt Anti any more.

"We're gonna help you," Blaze murmured to him, unsure of what else to do while the doctors searched through their drawers. "It'll be okay, Anti, I promise,"

"I'm the  _toy_ ," Anti whimpered in response.

"You're not the toy," Blaze argued, but Anti shook his head, closing his eyes as even more tears spilled from them. He wrenched his arm away from Blaze, flailing slightly in his seat.

"The toy! The toy!"

"Anti- Anti look, I need you to take this," Doc stated calmly, approaching Anti with a little blue pill in his hands. "It'll help you feel better- would you like some water?"

Anti nodded feebly, as if he hadn't been on the brink of madness mere moments ago- but he was clearly still agitated. He lifted the glass to his lips, tossing the pill down his throat in one gulp. He gave the glass back with shaking hands, sitting back down in his chair.

Doc let out a breath of relief. "Right... now that that's sorted, I-"

"The boys!" Anti cackled, springing to life suddenly, standing from his seat. Blaze tried to stop him, but Doc held him back, shaking his head. His expression was sad, and Blaze didn't know what to make of that- but he elaborated on his thoughts when Anti started to walk around almost aimlessly.

"Let him stand, but don't let him out of the office," Doc warned. "We don't need anyone else seeing him like this- they all think he's insane as it is,"

"You seem like you've done this before," Blaze noted cautiously, moving to stand by the door. Anti pouted upon seeing him, trying to wrench him out of the way, but Blaze was taller and stronger than him. He folded his arms.

"The boys," Anti sniffed, leaning against the wall for support. "The pets, the  _boys_..."

"I'm no psychiatrist," Doc sighed to himself. "But I'm... quite experienced with treating psychosis. He'll calm himself within the next ten minutes, then he'll likely want a nap. But you and I, we... we need to have a talk."

"About what happened with Wiish and Peevils?" Blaze uttered. Anti's stare seemed to grow even more blank at the mention of their names, and he shuffled his feet, moving back to his chair slowly. He slumped in his chair, dazed, unfocused eyes staring straight ahead. Schneep swallowed uncomfortably.

"The toys, the boys..."

"Ja," Schneep agreed, walking over to the rest of them. "Anti has never suffered a break like zis before- es ist very important to know ze truth about vhat happened to Ihn,"

Blaze looked at Anti again, worry pooling in his gut. The doctors spoke of this as though it wasn't that bad, but... but he was terrified. Anti wasn't there anymore. And if it was so easy to make him slip...

"I'll tell you everything I know," Blaze promised.

**~Groundlands~**

"So," Mark sighed, closing the door behind them as Chica bounded up to greet them with a happy series of barks. Amy and Ethan had gone home- Mark had explained everything to them, and they'd concluded that talking to Dark was something Mark would have to do on his own. He wasn't scared, not really... perhaps a little worried, but not because of what Dark could do to him.

No, what he was really worried about was saying the wrong thing here. Dark wanted help with his relationship (upon entering the house, Dark had assumed his male form again- Mark didn't question him as to why), and he wasn't used to having so much power in meaningful discussions like this. His words could mean the end of Dark's relationship- and he didn't want that. Dark seemed so happy with Anti- it would be a shame to take that away based on the far fetched idea that Mark had a sixth sense. Ludicrous, even.

"So?" Dark echoed softly. He'd crouched down to pet Chica, ruffling her fur softly as she wagged her tail in greeting. That smile... damn it. Mark had never seen an evil person smile like that before.

"What's really going on between you and Anti?" Mark sighed, gesturing to the lounge and sitting on the middle sofa, patting the cushion next to him.

"Well..." Dark started, taking his seat and smoothing out his dress nervously- it was a larger, more accommodative size than the previous had been, and it had coped wonderfully with the transition. Amy would be pleased to know that- he'd have to tell her in the morning.

"It isn't really... it isn't what's going on that's the problem. It's what  _isn't_ going on," Dark tried to explain. "Our relationship, it's... it's difficult to explain. We care for each other, we love each other, but... but we also argue. We have cold periods, we have moments of passion- when it goes too far one way, it always goes back to the other. It's been nearly ten years and we still haven't figured out how to balance ourselves properly, and..."

Dark sighed heavily. "It's been nothing but love, and care, and sweetness between us for almost two weeks now. I'm afraid that something will happen soon, and I'm on edge thinking that... that it's going to be my fault,"

Mark raised an eyebrow. "You think your relationship is headed downhill because he's been affectionate and kind to you for two weeks?"

"Patterns are important, Mark, they aren't easily broken," Dark muttered. "It's been killing us just getting past the pattern we fell into, of fighting with each other and locking ourselves away from our feelings for so long..."

"You guys fight?" Mark swallowed. "After what... what Mark did to you, you let Anti hurt you too?"

Dark shook his head bitterly. "Mark has nothing to do with  _us_ , what we are... we fought because we had a conflict of personal views. Anti... he was hurting. He was mad at me for being impartial, he was mad at his brothers for abandoning him when he needed them most... I was trying to protect my family. Our goals, they... they perfectly contradicted each other. Of course we fought..."

"But you don't anymore," Mark said, trying to piece together the story. "Right?"

Dark offered him half a smile, letting Chica up to sit in his lap. "Do you know how long we've been together, Mark?"

"You said two months, right?" Mark asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Two months," Dark affirmed. "And though we've known each other for longer, and we've trusted each other for nearly a decade, we... we only stopped fighting a matter of weeks ago. It isn't healthy..."

"Jeez," Mark sighed, holding his head in his hands. "And you're both going to have this baby?"

" _He's_  going to have this baby," Dark stated, rubbing against his bump fondly and feeling Desiree kick softly at his hand. "I will, of course, try my best to join him, but... but that may well be impossible. Only time may tell,"

"Look, just because you're dying, it doesn't mean you'll die before you give birth," Mark pointed out. "The doctor said you had- what, three years? And you're not a normal human, Dark, you're a demon possessing a human body. The  _body_  is what has the cancer,"

"And where, pray tell, do you suggest I find another body?" Dark uttered coldly. "My days of murder are over, Mark- my only goal was to finish off the bastard that made me this way, and after that, I was  _nothing_. I couldn't  _feel_ , I couldn't  _live_... until I found Will, I didn't think I was even capable of emotions,"

Mark let out a troubled sigh, realising that Dark's pessimism was having a huge impact on his answers here. He thought he was dying- and he  _was_ , but it couldn't be so straightforward. Dark was too strange and mystical to be taken down by something like cancer. "Right... okay, let's... let's stop thinking about the present, or the future. Let's talk about the past."

"I showed you my past already," Dark frowned defensively. "There is nothing else to see,"

"You showed me Damien and Celine's past," Mark corrected. "Not  _yours_. And things happened to you since you were created- they caused you to shape and change into who you are today. You're reluctant to believe that you really love somebody, all because of a pattern- just tell me about how that pattern came to be,"

Dark looked down at his feet. "How far back do you want me to go?"

"As far back as you think you have to," Mark responded, shrugging his shoulders. "The first defining moment- the first thing that made you question yourself. Show me that moment, tell me... tell me why it hurt you,"

Dark let a small smile grace his features as he glanced at Mark through the corner of his eye. "I'm afraid I'll have to show you the day after that... I'm sure you don't want to know what having intercourse with Wilford Warfstache is like,"

Mark blinked, having expected... well, anything but that. The first time Dark ever questioned who he was? It was just... just  _Warfstache_?

" _That_  was your first defining moment? Not killing Mark, or... or whatever else you did?"

"All I wanted to do from the second I came into existence was find Mark and destroy him," Dark confided, sounding almost ashamed of himself. "I didn't rest until I tracked him down, but he always found a way around me. I wasn't... myself, in those years. I didn't retain memories, or thoughts... I was a shell of who I used to be. Who  _all of us_  used to be..."

Dark sighed softly. "When I finally killed Mark with Benjamin's help, it... it didn't bring me the relief I had thought it would. I'd thought it would be the most fulfilling, satisfying thing I'd ever done. And it was satisfying, for a few moments. But then... then there was nothing. The body was burned, the house collapsing... Benjamin left to pursue a culinary career with Robert, and I was alone. I didn't know who I was, I didn't know what my purpose was... all I knew was that I couldn't go back to that manor."

"So you found Wilford because he was familiar?"

"He was the only one who'd be able to understand me," Dark agreed, pursing his lips. "And I was the first who could understand  _him_... we were both broken souls, Mark. I coped with my existence by hurting myself, and forcing myself to conform to a singular personality. He coped with murder and sex. When I found him and confronted him, we ended up sleeping together- it forced my components apart."

Mark looked a little lost. "It forced your components... to do what now?"

"Damien and Celine... they awoke after that night. Before it I was unaware of what I was made of- I knew myself as Dark, and I had one goal. They both wanted to take Mark down- I remembered him clearly as the man who'd brought my downfall... But Will... they remembered him differently. Their memories, and their experiences, they... they clashed. That's when they became part of me again. That's when their emotions and ideas started to influence who I was..."

"Ah... I see," Mark replied, though he didn't seem like he understood at all. He was still holding his hand out for Dark if he wanted it- but the demon didn't want to seem to show him any memories right now. He shook his head, pushing the hand away.

"You don't want to see it," Dark shivered. "I was a mess. Celine wanted to stay with him, try to rekindle their spark... Damien wanted to leave him. Neither wanted to love him the way he deserved. But we were the first to stay with him for longer than a day- and we were already special to him. I... I couldn't just let him go. He was all I had,"

"So you took him to the Void," Mark pieced together. "Did you guys... stay together long?"

"Over ten years," Dark nodded. "Romantically, anyway... we remained friends with benefits for much longer. It was simply exhausting, trying to cater to his whims... he wanted affection that I didn't know how to give him. It wasn't fair on either of us to confine ourselves to a monogamous relationship- I didn't want him. He was nothing but a release for me, and he knew it."

"But something changed when you met Anti?"

" _Everything_ changed when I met Anti," Dark corrected. "With Will, I had known him for years. He and Celine had been together for eight by the time she died- and Damien had been friends with him since his childhood. They both had different opinions, memories, and feelings for him. They were constantly arguing with each other while he was part of my life. But Anti... he was a fresh face..."

Dark reached out, curling his fingers around Mark's again. He looked into his relative's eyes for permission, sighing a little as Mark nodded his head in consent. Then the world melted away again, just like it had done on the streets...

_"Tell me about yourself," Dark urged, hand clasped around Anti's as they walked down an imaginary path. "What do you enjoy doing? What's your favourite colour- your favourite scent?"_

_Anti chuckled softly, seeming to lean a little further into Dark's side. Dark had forgotten just how short Anti had used to be... he'd grown up quite a lot in the past nine years. His hair was brown, smoothly parted and swept to one side. His eyes were dim and glowing softly in the darkness of the Void, his skin paler than even Dark's... Wilford had been quite tanned from his stay in the Groundlands. It had been so long since Dark had held anyone else so close..._

_"I don't know," Anti confided. "I mean... I like talking to you. I like the colour of your eyes, but... but I don't know which colour that is. I... I don't know much, really, it's... it's embarrassing,"_

_Dark shook his head slowly, giving Anti's hand a soft squeeze. "Please, Anti, you shouldn't be ashamed. You're new around here- and while I've never met someone so intelligent without their memories, I'm perfectly willing to help you learn again. You don't have to feel inadequate to me,"_

_Anti smiled in his direction. "Thanks, Dark. But what colour are your eyes?"_

_Dark shrugged his shoulders as they came to a stop, summoning a small handheld mirror. Anti's eyes widened at the display- Dark didn't notice. He looked into his reflection, noticing the smile on his face and the lack of creases by his brows. His eyes were a bright, piercing blue._

_"Blue," Dark said simply. "To be specific... cyan blue."_

_"What colour are mine?" Anti asked softly, peering into his own reflection. He squinted a little. "Why are mine so different to yours?"_

_"Sclera can come in different colours," Dark explained, letting Anti hold the mirror as he wrapped an arm around Anti's middle. The glitch didn't seem to mind the embrace, far too focused on taking in his reflection for the first time._

_"Yours are a darkened grey, almost black," Dark continued. "And your irises are... I believe they call it harlequin green."_

_"Harlequin green..." Anti repeated, making a face. "I don't think I like them. They don't look... right."_

_"I think they look wonderful," Dark countered. "Perhaps you're simply hung up on what my eyes look like, instead of appreciating the beauty of your own..."_

_Anti's cheeks flushed a little at the compliment as he handed the mirror back, watching in awe as Dark let it vanish into thin air._

_"Whoa," he uttered, their previous conversation forgotten. "How'd you do that?"_

_"Hm?" Dark asked curiously. "You mean... summon objects? You can do that as well, Anti. I'll have to teach you later- but for now, we should keep moving. There are many dangers in this Void, and I don't want you getting hurt..."_

_"What if you're not there to protect me?" Anti asked, fear ringing in his tone. "I don't..."_

_"I'll always be there to protect you," Dark promised, fingers interlocking with Anti's again. "You can count on it. I can't leave this place, and there's nobody I'd rather spend my time with here than you,"_

_Anti perked up immediately, his grip tightening on Dark's hand as he looked up into the demon's eyes. "Really?"_

_Dark smiled in return. "Really," he affirmed. "We're getting close to my residence- but when you meet Will, I'd advise you not to run. He can be a bit much sometimes, but... well, he's a good friend. He'll be happy to see you,"_

_"I can't wait," Anti breathed. Dark couldn't help thinking the same. Having Anti here, a new friend, someone to invest in and see prosper... it was just what he'd needed. A new face. A new relationship. A new... a new person in his life, that wouldn't make him want to tear his hair out._

_"Neither can I," Dark finished._

Mark blinked as he returned, the harsh lights of the room blinding him in their contrast to the Void. Dark was less fazed by the transition- he continued holding Mark's hand as the younger man oriented himself again, looking up into Dark's eyes with confusion.

"Was Anti just some kind of challenge for you?" Mark asked, squinting a little as his eyes adjusted to the light.

"Of course not," Dark scoffed, seemingly affronted. "I'd met plenty of demons and egos alike in that realm, none of which stirred my heart as he did. He was the first fresh face I'd seen around that didn't just want me for power or sex- of course I was intrigued by him. Did you know that he named himself Antithesis, because I told him he was so different from everyone I'd had the misfortune of meeting there?"

Mark seemed to be processing something. He shook his head slightly, meeting Dark's eyes again.

"You're not lying," Mark confided. "About any of that. You met him and made friends with him because you wanted companionship. Your relationship, it... it wasn't based on a lie, or greed. Stop worrying that it was."

Dark's cheeks seemed to grow a little flushed- Mark had clearly hit the nail on the head. One of the reasons Dark had been having doubts... he'd thought he coerced Anti into something he didn't want to be a part of, thought he'd taken advantage of him, even if he hadn't meant to. It couldn't be further from the truth.

"Thank you..." Dark murmured quietly. "I... That was weighing down on my conscience, you could probably tell. It was just... when I told Maggie about our age difference, I-"

"The whole eighty years of it?" Mark interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

Dark let out a little humph in return, though he smiled wryly at Mark before answering. "I told her it was a decade... and even that caused her to lose her faith in me until I told her he was twenty-eight when we started dating. But that's a lie... he's nine years old at best, he's had nine years of experience, and... and he may be in the body of a man, but at heart, he's no more than a child..."

"Okay, stop," Mark sighed. "Stop thinking of him as a child- that's half your problem. He's a  _man_ \- he might be a little less developed compared to everyone else, but he's still a man. He's mature enough to handle you- he knows what he's getting into. You have to trust him on that,"

"I'm  _old_ , Mark," Dark countered, a reluctant tear slipping from his eye. "He might be a man, but I'm... I'm turning 124 soon. Damien and Celine are, that is... we've had over a century of experience, we've had our hearts broken so many times, and... and it just isn't fair on him. I have my own issues, they make me... they make me angry, for reasons he doesn't know. They set me on edge, they make me overprotective, but... they also make me abusive. And I don't want to become the man I set out to destroy in 1935, Mark, I don't want to abuse him. But... but I feel I already have..."

Dark's grip tightened on Mark's hand as he let a new wave of memories roll over him. These, it seemed, were much more torment-filled than the last.

 _He was standing by the house he'd made for the Septiceyes, just a few months ago, the artificial wind howling in his ears. He didn't know where it was coming from- but he had a gnawing suspicion that it had something to do with a certain glitch that had recently gone missing. He only hoped that it wouldn't be too late to save them from the fate that had befallen his love. He didn't want anyone to die, not like_ this _..._

_The door had been busted open. The carpets were red and bloodied, and the furniture seemed slightly displaced. As if someone had run into the various objects in an attempt to get away from the front door. By the look of a particularly nasty stain that spattered the closest wall, that someone hadn't made it very far. A small, crumpled note had been left on the ground- and Dark opened it, smoothing it out. He recognised that curly scrawl, and he felt his heart lurch a little in sympathy for one of the newest of his kin..._

'Don't forget to meet me by the tree tonight- I have something special for you!'

_That was unmistakably Yan's handwriting. And that must mean that Marvin..._

_The sound of sobbing coming from upstairs jolted Dark out of his sorrow, and he quickened his pace, tucking the note into his shirt pocket- he walked briskly down the hallway, making his way up to the second floor landing when... oh, dear. The wall was covered in blood, as if someone with a side wound had tried desperately to keep going, to get to safety..._

_The stains came to an abrupt end by the bathroom door, where a broken pair of glasses lay on the floor. They looked as though they'd been trodden on in haste- and Dark had definitely seen those frames before. He bit back another regretful sigh, picking up a medical journal that had been dropped a few feet away. The doctor had been using a note as a bookmark, it seemed... what was it with the Septiceyes and their notes?_

'You're learning so fast that you're putting my German knowledge to shame, you know? Keep this one as long as you need, and don't mind the annotations- I wasn't expecting to lend this one out until you came along. I promise I'll know how to say 'I love you' at least by the time you need the next journal!

\- Doc ♡'

_Dark sighed to himself. Breaking this news to Doc wouldn't be a pleasant experience, but he scooped up the journal, tucking the note back inside. The page that Henrik had been reading was lost in the fall, but... well, Dark supposed that the state of a medical journal would be one of the last things on either of the doctors' minds when Henrik finally returned. Where was Jackieboy Man, then?_

_Dark could feel... something. A presence in the bathroom, someone familiar- he opened the door to see a man in a red suit sprawled across the tile, bleeding out from a deep gash in his stomach. His eyes widened beneath his mask as Dark entered, and he scrambled to a sitting position, trying to choke out the right words to say._

_"Anti did this, didn't he?" Dark murmured quietly, reaching out to steady the superhero as he tried desperately to survive the fatal wound in his front. Jackieboy nodded, closing his eyes in pain._

_"H-he... he came in and... and J-Jack went first, I... I tried to stop him, b-but... but..."_

_"I understand," Dark interceded. "You aren't going to make it this time, Jackieboy. I'm sorry... but you'll be back before you even knew you were gone,"_

_Jackieboy let a stream of tears fall from his eyes, resting his head against the closest cupboard as his red-clad hands pressed wearily at his wound. "I f-failed them..."_

_"No," Dark shook his head. "_ I _failed_ you _. All of you... rest now, young one. It gets easier with time, I promise you,"_

_"What about... about Anti?"_

_Dark felt his own eyes well with tears, knowing that the time had long since come for him to stop protecting Anti from what he deserved. As much as his heart ached, as much as he yearned to hold him tightly and not let go... Anti had crossed a line. He had to be punished- he had to be treated just the same as any other enemy that threatened the family Dark had fought so hard to maintain. His feelings shouldn't matter._

_But they did._

_"I'll take care of it," Dark promised, giving Jackieboy one final, determined stare. "Let the darkness take you- it's much less painful if you don't put up a fight,"_

_Jackieboy nodded weakly, already starting to fade from his place. He closed his eyes, and then... then, he was gone. All that remained of him was a crimson-stained floor._

_Nobody had left him a note._

_Dark knew that Anti was upstairs- he knew that he had to respect his duty to keep the residents of his territory safe, and yet... he also knew that he had a duty to Anti himself. Anti was hurting- Anti was alone, and helpless, and he didn't deserve this kind of treatment._

_But at the same time... at the same time, he'd murdered three innocents. He'd murdered his creator. He'd murdered himself..._

_"Anti?" Dark whispered as he opened the only door with a bloodied handle he could see. He knew that Anti was in here- the glitch was sobbing so loudly that he could be heard from outside, and now that Dark was closer, he could even hear slight buzzing in his ears. The same buzzing he'd been able to hear that day, when he'd found Anti cutting himself alone in his house._

_Today, Anti seemed to be doing the same thing._

_He drove his knife again and again into his arm, muttering obscenities and chanting recitations under his breath, hacking away at his skin so harshly that Dark was amazed there was any left. His hair was bright green and his shirt was sticky with blood as Dark rushed forward, knocking Anti's knife aside._

_Anti looked up at him, and for a moment Dark softened. He... he couldn't do this. He loved Anti, really- he didn't want to hurt him. Anti looked pained- he looked scared, and confused, and just a little mad, and..._

_And Dark couldn't let him get away with this._

_He grabbed Anti's knife, plunging it straight through the glitch's chest as his head flinched away, the tears streaming down his cheeks. He could feel Anti's body disappear as he fell in a slump on the bloodied ground, a hollow whine escaping his lips._

_"You need to get a grip of yourself, Damien," he growled through the tears. "Y-you need... I love him, Celine, I don't... I don't **care**. He hurt them. He hurt them..."_

_He balled his fist, beating the ground in frustration. "He hurt them... I hurt him... he doesn't deserve this... none of them deserve..."_

The memory faded out, the buzzing only barely subsiding by the time the lights of Mark's living room came into focus. Mark himself was crying- only a little, but... he just hadn't been prepared to feel so many things at once. Anger. Hurt. Betrayal. Regret. Love... raw and unbridled. Was this what Dark had been feeling at the time?

"That wasn't abuse," Mark shuddered, wiping the tears away from his face. "That was a dangerous situation, Dark, it was... it was your responsibility to incapacitate him. His death was quick."

"It wasn't quick any of the dozen times after that," Dark muttered angrily, his arms folded tightly together as he let his own stubborn tears fall. "I won't show you, it's enough to scar a man... but we were less than friendly. Our words were hateful. Our actions were unjust and cruel. I... I knew he didn't mean it. I could hear his thoughts, but he... he couldn't hear mine in return. While I knew he didn't hate me, he had no way of knowing that my heart still wanted him... all those months were like the worst kind of torture, for both of us,"

"Then why did you keep fighting?" Mark asked. "If it was hurting you both, why didn't one of you say something?"

"I tried," Dark shivered, his tears falling into a small, wet pile on his lap. "When I realised I was h-hurting and I couldn't make it go away... I tried to talk to him. But he wasn't ready for my apology, he... he turned it down. He forced me to watch him kill himself on the spot, and... and even now, when I hold him in my arms, all I can think of is his  _broken_ body..."

"Trauma." Mark simplified, shaking his head. "It all comes back to trauma."

Dark nodded after a few moments, biting his lip. "I... I suppose so. I hadn't even thought..."

"Well, compared to any of the shit I witnessed in your memories of Mark, it's almost nothing, but..." Mark started with a sigh. "Trauma is trauma. It affects us all in different ways, in different quantities, it means something different for everyone. You and Anti... you two are still too traumatised by what happened between you to move on. That's probably why you don't trust your feelings. You love him, Dark, I know you do, but... but you don't trust love on its own. You need to find it within yourself to accept that not everyone wants to hurt you, and... and you need to make sure he knows that you don't want to hurt him either."

"I have to... I have to forgive him," Dark realised, meeting Mark's eyes with wonder. "I have to be sure there's no... no tension between us, before we take this further. You're right, I... I need to tell him. I need to tell him I'm sorry-"

Dark stood hastily, holding his stomach as he made his way up the stairs, Mark hastily following as close as he could. Chica gave a little bark as she took the lead, sniffing at Dark's ankles as he opened the door to his bedroom.

" _Jesus_ , man- don't just get up like that," Mark huffed when Dark rushed in, sitting by the mirror, hand outstretched and gliding along the surface.

Dark's face quickly fell. He seemed...  _disappointed_.

"He isn't home," Dark frowned. "I'd thought he'd be waiting on a call from me, I told him I'd be in touch tonight..."

"Maybe you just missed him," Mark suggested, drawing up another chair. Dark shook his head.

"This is his bedroom, Mark, he doesn't go anywhere else after he calls it a night. He just... must be preoccupied..."

Dark retracted his hand, slumping a little in his chair. "I just wanted to... to apologise for everything I did to him."

"What did you do to him?" Mark asked. "I mean- aside from stabbing him, I guess. There has to be more to it than that one time..."

"I broke his heart," Dark muttered. "More than once- I took away his rights, and his freedom, and I kept him trapped in a house with people he used to know that had turned on him... I've never apologised. I've never even acknowledged it, and..."

Mark reached out to place a hand on Dark's shoulder. The motions were becoming increasingly more easy to muster the courage for.

"Show me, Dark," Mark requested quietly. "I can't understand unless you show me, and... and maybe it'll help calm you down."

Dark sniffed as he let Mark in, the memories swirling before them again.

**~Void~**

"H-hey," Blank greeted, fidgeting nervously with his hands as he found the shuddering form of his ex-boyfriend sitting outside. King didn't make any sound to acknowledge he'd heard Blank, still staring off into the abyss. Blank frowned, wondering if he should go back inside- King's silence was hurting him just a little. Wasn't he happy that Blank was alive?

_No. Why should he be? You left him without a warning, remember?_

"Sorry," Blank muttered, leaning against the door frame as he closed his still-puffy eyes. "I'm s-sorry I didn't tell you..."

"That's not what I'm upset about." King spoke, his voice choked with tears and anguish. Blank grew ever worried for him, but he didn't know if he should approach... surely King would have beckoned him closer if he'd wanted the company? He'd never been shy about wanting affection, and this certainly seemed to be one of the times he needed it.

"Is it... is it something to do with me?" Blank asked, deciding to walk just a little closer. This was a rather intimate conversation to be having across a porch, he knew... and yet, somehow, he had the feeling nobody was listening but King.

King paused. He had his fists balled in the fabric of one of his robes, clutching it as if he was afraid it would vanish. Tears flowed steadily from his almond shaped eyes.

"N-not all of it," King admitted. "I mean, I... I'm glad you're feeling better, Blank. I've just... first it was Molly, then Bim, and..."

King sobbed aloud despite his attempts to keep himself calm. "I can't do anything right, can I?"

"Molly wasn't your fault," Blank tried to soothe, a knot still welling up in his chest just thinking about the fact that their beloved pet was no more. "It was Peevils and Wiish, not you,"

"If-if I hadn't... b-been there, then-"

"King," Blank interrupted, reaching out shakily to hold his ex-lover's hand. King didn't flinch away, only staring up at him with wide eyes, hanging on his every word.

"They invaded Dark's territory," Blank started. "They ambushed you outside a place you thought was safe. It wasn't your fault- it wasn't your fault at  _all_ ,"

"But Bim was," King sniffed.

Blank's features softened. Bim... King's new boyfriend. King was crying for him- had he died? Faded away like Blank wished he could? Blank was saddened- maybe not grief-stricken as King, he'd hardly known the guy, but... but he'd been a good friend. Bim had never seemed like the kind of person to give in to death. Blank wondered what had happened to him- it must have been brutal, for King to be shaking this way...

"What happened?" Blank asked cautiously.

"I used h-him," King shuddered. "I... after we... after we stopped seeing each other, I... I was so lonely. I started getting these feelings, these emotions... for Bim. But he was my friend- he would never even want to date me, b-but I..."

King buried his face in his robe. Peanut butter smeared onto the red fabric, and Blank shuffled away self-consciously.

"I still h-hoped... and he was so unhappy with Wilford, he had f-feelings for the idiot, and I... I  _understood_. I had feelings for someone who didn't w-want me, too... We started fake-dating to make Wilford jealous, b-but... but Wilford doesn't care about  _love_. And every time we held hands, or... or used nicknames, or cracked jokes, it... it felt nice. It felt..."

King breathed out, closing his eyes. "It felt like you..."

Blank swallowed, his gut stirring in remembrance of a similar situation he'd been in, if only for a few moments.

"I had the same thing happen to me," he murmured quietly, feeling King turn to look at him. The smell of the peanut butter on his cheeks was enough to cause Blank's heart to beat in rapid fear, but he swallowed his irrational urge to run away. King understood now, no matter how painful it had been to show him the truth. He wouldn't endanger Blank's life like that...

"I met a man, who... who acted so nice to me, even though I was nothing but a jerk to him," Blank sniffed. "He seemed so forgiving... and he was such a smooth-talker, and he was charming, and... hot  _damn_ , King, you should have seen him,"

King smiled softly, wiping a stray tear from Blank's eye. "It's Xyler, isn't it?"

Blank jumped a little- he hadn't expected King to know anything about the man. But looking back... Xyler had wanted directions to the manor. It made sense that the egos around here had gotten a glimpse of him.

"Y-yeah," Blank admitted reluctantly. "He and I, we... only knew each other for a few days, but it felt like I was in love all over again. The happy, floaty feeling... when you feel like you'd be missed if you left, it... I felt it again. I was  _scared_ of it. I didn't trust it, and I... I ran away."

He bowed his head. "Now, I won't get to see him again..."

"Hey," King interrupted, tapping Blank's shoulder comfortingly. "He'll be back around, you just have to wait a while... but Bim... there's no telling what's going to happen to us when he..."

King let out a shuddering breath. "Either he'll be the same as he was when he died, all mopey and depressed and... and just  _not him_ , or... or he'll come back flamboyant and confident as ever and just... just go back to fucking around with  _Wilford_ , because Wilford's apparently the only piece of ass anyone wants around here..."

"You sound bitter," Blank noted.

"And you sound lost," King sighed.

They sat in silence for a few moments, most of the tension between them having melted away. It was almost like nothing had changed- they'd been close friends before becoming a couple, and it seemed that neither of them had really evolved individually since then. Perhaps... perhaps it was time to change that.

King let out a little chuckle. "I... I guess I understand why you'd never let me go down on you now,"

Blank flushed, shoving King in his side as he remembered making perfectly  _normal_ excuses to get out of King giving him head. "Yeah, because getting peanut butter in your pubes is something normal people want, huh?"

"I guess you had a point," King agreed. "I... I feel really  _bad_ for missing what we had. We don't have it anymore, I know, but... but I'm too stuck in the past to move on and take the leap I've really wanted for months now..."

"Yeah, I hear you," Blank sighed. "I just... I'm kinda glad Google brought me back here. It's like a huge weight has just gotten off my chest, and I... don't laugh, but I feel like I can  _breathe_ again,"

King, of course, couldn't help himself from a slight chuckle. "Anaphylaxis man, able to breathe next to someone with peanut butter all over their face? You should probably get inside, Blank, I... I don't want to risk hurting you again,"

"Talking about it made you feel better," Blank argued. "And I'm... I'm done running away. It'll just make me more sad, and lonely, and depressed... and even if we can't be boyfriends again, I still want to be part of your life. Just... a part of your life that doesn't involve being kissing distance from your face,"

King let out a breathless laugh. "Well... okay, if you really want to stick around, I guess you can... but we're good now, right?"

Blank breathed out through his nose, wrapping an arm around King's shoulder for a few moments. "We're good,"

All it took was a little honesty, and a little courage... wow, Blank could get used to things like this going his way. Heck, if he ever saw Xyler again around here, he'd go right up and kiss him- he was done being meek and forgettable. He wanted the happiness he'd deluded himself into thinking only King could provide for him. He wanted to take it for  _himself_ , this time.

He wanted to make sure that the next time he had such a wonderful opportunity to start again, it didn't pass him by...

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"And then we might have crashed into the front porch but we made it back before they got to us," Blaze finished softly. Anti had fallen asleep about halfway through his recount, only waking every few minutes to whimper about "the boys" and "the pets". Schneep took a moment when this happened to stand, walk over to Anti's restless figure, and run soothing hand motions along his forearm until he calmed down again. Neither of the doctors were surprised, it seemed- but Blaze was mildly terrified by what had happened. They'd explained it to him when he asked- it was a schizophrenic breakdown.

Anti had finally lost touch with reality. He didn't know what was real and what was false- and there was something inside him telling him that what had happened out there was his own fault.

Blaze may have been terrified before, but now he was  _murderous_.

"You're telling me you've been expecting this?" Blaze muttered lowly, looking over at Anti's peaceful form on the hospital bed in the office. "How long has it been a threat?"

"I have ze feeling zis may not have been his first instance of psychosis," Schneep frowned. "Er often hears voices zat tell Ihn he is vorthless... I have not been able to observe Ihn over ze last two years, but perhaps Dark could tell us if something like zis has happened before. I have never seen him lose all control over his speech pattern before..."

"I've never heard him talk about voices," Blaze frowned. Had Anti not trusted him enough to let him know about them? Well, to be fair, hearing voices is never the most telling sign of sanity, but... but he knew Blaze wouldn't have judged him, right?

"Anti is reclusive," Doc sighed. "He always has been, as long as I can remember. He doesn't like opening up to new people, and he only tells the ones he really trusts about what's really going on... and I don't think he's even warmed up to Dark again, not since their falling out two years ago. It's not your fault, Blaze. It's his lack of trust in everyone that keeps him so separate from us..."

"We're best friends," Blaze argued feebly, knowing that he was only trying to convince himself. "We tell each other everything, but..."

"I am sure zat er did not vant you to vorry," Schneep soothed. "Hm... speaking of vorry- Doc, could I speak vith you? In private?"

Doc's eyes darted quickly to their bedroom door as he sent Blaze an apologetic look, leaving the room with a small amount of hesitation. "We'll only be a moment, Blaze,"

"'S fine," Blaze sighed, sinking back in his chair as the door to the doctors' bedroom closed after them.

"I think zhere ist something more to zis glitch," Schneep frowned when they were out of earshot.

Doc tilted his head to one side in curiosity. "I... how do you mean?"

"I feel zat Anti... I feel zat he cannot say no,"

Doc blinked. "Hen... Hen, he says no all the time, what do you-?"

"No, no- you do not understand," Schneep sighed. "I mean...  _sexually_. I feel zat he cannot resist it vhen another is touching Ihn- zis is ze second time er has fallen victim to unwanted advances, und... und vhat if he cannot help it?"

Doc's eyes narrowed as he contemplated the implications of what his lover was suggesting- if Anti couldn't say no when someone else was coming onto him, it... it would explain a lot. It would mean that he couldn't ever give proper consent- it would mean that anything- light kisses, or touches, or... or certainly anything that Wiish had done to him out there- it would make him incapable of resisting. That... that was not only terrible, but also  _heartbreaking_...

"My God..." Doc sighed remorsefully. "But... but that's only a hypothesis. I don't know how we can prove it if that's the case, and until he's stable enough to answer us properly-"

"Nein- Schatz, kiss me," Schneep commanded, looking up into his fiance's widened eyes.

"I- but  _why_ , Henrik?"

"Yesterday," Schneep started. "After Anti gave us ze sample- vhen ve vere running it through ze machines, und you kissed me. I felt... I felt all tingly und strange. I felt as though ve had to continue- I let you take charge, und I  _never_  let you take charge... I did not know vhat had come over me,"

Doc gulped, finally starting to piece together what had really happened. "I... you're right, you did... I just thought you were changing it up,"

"I vas incapacitated," Schneep growled, though Doc got the feeling that it wasn't so much about yesterday anymore. "I must have caught it-  _ach_ , if you hadn't stopped us ve vould have made love right on zat surgery table,"

"I think you're putting too much faith in your theory here," Doc frowned. "It's just... why would it only affect  _Anti_? What could have caused something like this?"

"I do not know," Schneep sighed. "But zhere is a vay to test it- make a move, Schatz. Assume I am unwilling. Tease me, und if I do not respond, ve vill know..."

Doc let out a small groan. "Hen... Blaze is out there, he can probably hear us, and... and this isn't a very professional-"

"Vhy don't you trust mich?" Schneep grimaced, folding his arms and looking up pointedly at his fiance. "All I need from you is a simple touch,"

Doc let out a heavy, reluctant sigh. "Henrik, we can't do this while we have a patient-"

Schneep let out a groan of frustration, flinging open the door and striding out of the room, manoeuvring the maze of equipment that littered the office hastily. Blaze stood in alarm, but Doc shook his head, following his fiance as best he could, trying to keep up with him. Had he said something wrong?

"Henrik, what are you-?"

"If you vill not help me test zis, I vill find someone zat is villing," Schneep humphed. "I am sorry, Schatz, but zis is important,"

"But- Henrik!" Doc called, accidentally startling Anti awake. The glitch opened his eyes warily, eyebrows furrowing as he took in his surroundings. The doctors' office? But...  _what_?

"Blaze...?" He asked softly, confused.

Blaze turned to ask what he should do, but the doctors were gone- he could hear vague shouting down the hall. He... he had no idea what any of that was about, but it didn't matter. Anti was here- he looked lost, and tired, and confused, and Blaze just wanted to hug him until he was all better.

But he was more macho than that.

"You're up..." Blaze noted, drawing up a chair beside Anti's bed with a small amount of trepidation. "Do you... remember what happened?"

Anti's brow creased, his eyes dimming as his hair seemed to fade from the bright green he'd been sporting. "I... not really. Why am I in a hospital bed?"

"That's... a long story," Blaze sighed. "I wish they hadn't left, I don't know if I should tell you..."

"Tell me what?" Anti asked, alarm flooding his features. With a sinking sense of dread, Blaze watched as Anti's fringe started to turn green again. That... that must have been a sign it was getting worse. How hadn't he noticed that before?

"You... you had a breakdown," Blaze confessed, reaching out to grip Anti's hand in his own, comfortingly. "It was the fucking  _scariest_ thing I've ever seen, it... you weren't  _yourself_ , Anti,"

Anti's eyes widened. "I- I didn't hurt anyone, did I? Oh God, did I  _kill_ someone?"

"What?" Blaze asked, not having expected that at all. "No- no you didn't kill anyone, you just... you lost your  _mind_ , Anti, you were babbling something about 'the boys' and 'the toys', and- and none of us knew what you were saying. You don't remember  _any_ of that?"

"No, I... I only remember leaving to find Daniel," Anti frowned, concern flooding his features. "I... I said  _what_?"

Blaze was about to answer, but the sound of someone throwing open the door to the office startled him out of his seat.

"-just don't understand why you had to  _grope_ each other-"

"It vas for science, Liebe! It proved zat mein theory is correct!"

"But a  _Jim_?! CJ of all people-?"

"Vell, ze other vone is taken, und  _you_ vouldn't cooperate," Schneep huffed, folding his arms, his eyes seeming to glow softly in the dim light of the room. "Ve vill continue zis later- Anti, Ich bin sorry I voke you,"

Anti blinked in confusion, looking at Blaze for help. The flame-covered ego didn't quite know what to say either. He had the feeling he'd awoken to a small domestic, and... well, Anti still wasn't quite sure of how to handle his own lover's quarrels.

"I... I'll ignore whatever just happened," Anti sighed, shaking his head. They could handle themselves, right? "Blaze told me I... I was saying things?"

Doc still looked a little mad- but he swallowed his pride in order to face Anti, ready to answer his questions now that he'd calmed down.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Doc asked, trying not to let his frustration show.

"I left the house with Blaze, we... we were trying to find Daniel," Anti explained. "And then... I woke up here. What happened, did we... did we get attacked? Did they win?"

"Ja, it vould seem zat you vere ambushed," Schneep agreed, seeming to scoff at his lover as Doc turned to examine the wall. Anti didn't really know what had happened between them, or why, but... well, he didn't think it was really the end of the world for them. It was never the loud arguments that ended in heartbreak- it was only the quiet ones. Whatever this was would blow over soon... probably. Hopefully in time for the wedding.

"We fused," Blaze put in, watching with satisfaction as Anti's eyes flashed in amazement.

Anti grinned in return. "Were we the hot shit?"

"We were the  _hottest_  shit," Blaze agreed. "Mainly because we were on fire- but... you  _really_ don't remember that?"

"I'm not lying to you," Anti frowned. "I... something else must have happened. Why did we have to fuse? I could have taken them, I know I-"

"Wiish, it seemed..." Doc started, speaking through semi-gritted teeth. "Started to... seduce you. Blaze rescued you both from that situation,"

Anti looked puzzled. "I... seduce me? What, you think I'd actually  _want_ whatever slimy skank-"

"That's not what we're saying," Doc countered. " _Henrik_ will explain."

"Yikes," Anti sighed under his breath, noting how Doc's voice seemed especially strained now. "What happened between you two  _this_ time?"

"I merely gave up mein body for a simple experiment," Schneep huffed, folding his arms.

"You literally asked one of my brothers to kiss you," Doc argued, "that's not something that people just... do, you know? And you should have waited for my okay before-"

"It vorked, did it not?" Schneep humphed. "Vhatever- I can see zat your feelings are clouding your judgment on zis matter. Do you not understand, Schatz? Anti has been feeling zis heartache und judgment from all of us on no grounds- er did not cheat on Dark,  _never_."

Anti's eyebrows furrowed as his grip on Blaze's hand tightened.

"Oh-  _my_ feelings?!" Doc groaned aloud, finally seeming to snap. "I- okay, fine.  _Fine_. I can't do this right now, come and find me when you're ready to act like a  _normal_ human,"

He turned on his heel, striding to his bedroom and closing the door sharply behind him- nobody heard another word.

Schneep huffed, rolling his eyes. "Zhese Ipliers are such drama queens..."

"Should we be worried about a divorce before the wedding even happens?" Anti asked, only half-serious.

Schneep shook his head. "Nein- er ist simply jealous. Ze only aggression zis vill cause is between ze sheets,"

"Good." Anti sighed, not noticing nor caring for Blaze's expression at the exchange that had just occurred. "And what do you mean, I never cheated? Of course I cheated- you can't just tell me that I hallucinated letting JJ fuck me by the pool, I remember it so clearly that I wish I could wake up with amnesia sometimes..."

"You let who fuck you where?" Blaze asked incredulously.

"Es ist unimportant," Schneep waved his hand. "Anti- zat night you spent vith JJ, how did it... vell, how did it all start?"

"He kissed me," Anti said simply, shrugging his shoulders. "He kissed me, and I... I just let him. Then he was undoing my trousers, and then..."

"He made ze first move," Schneep simplified.

Anti gave a hesitant nod. "Yeah, but... what does that have to do with-?"

"And he was fighting back until Wiish started tongue-fucking him," Blaze added.

Anti choked on his own saliva. "I- wait, I  _actually_ let some no-good  _bitch_ -ass  _slut_  get filthy with me-?"

"Ja, und it vas not your own fault," Schneep interceded. "For vhatever reason, Anti, you... you become complacent vhen you are aroused by a second party. Es ist entirely out of your own control- zat means... zat means zat vhat happened between you und JJ is technically... es ist technically rape,"

Anti's face fell. "I- no, that's... he would never do that, Schneep-"

"You did  _not_ give consent, Anti," Schneep denied. "Vhen someone has sex vith you vithout your consent, es ist rape- even if es ist accidental. Zhere are so many cases in ze Groundlands- vhere someone is drunk, or drugged, und so many young men are charged because ze woman vas irresponsible vith her substances. It vas rape, Anti- you... you never cheated, on  _anyone_."

It took a few moments to sink in. For Anti to think back to how he felt, how he reacted, how he could possibly have given Jameson any indication that it was okay. And he found... he found none. He hadn't said yes- he hadn't even said  _no_. He hadn't said... anything, he... oh. Oh,  _God_...

"I..." Anti sniffed. "It all... fuck, it all makes  _sense_ \- but he didn't know, Schneep, he's been hurting enough-"

"I know," Schneep sighed. "Trust mich, Anti, I know... If you do not vish to tell Ihn, I vill respect zat. But you can rest easy now- your heart truly does lie vith Dark. I know zat vhat happened hurt both of you, und now... now you can move forward from zat. You are not guilty, Anti- you aren't guilty at all,"

"I'm..." Anti sobbed, the emotional weight starting to weigh him down. He closed his eyes desperately- oh  _God_... all this time, the voices had been lying to him? It sounded so pathetic to him, but he knew it was true- he knew that they'd been trying to bring him down, he  _knew_  it. Why had he trusted them at all?

"I n-need to..." he hiccuped, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and steadying himself against the wall as he stood. "I need to tell Dark that I... that I love him, more than anything, I..."

Schneep placed a reassuring hand on Anti's shoulder, smiling warmly at him. "I know,"

"Thank you," Anti sniffed, wrapping his arms around Schneep's neck and pulling him into a hug, sobbing a little into his shoulder out of sheer relief. Schneep chuckled softly under his breath, letting Anti hold him as long as he needed to- this news must have lifted so many of his sorrows that he could hardly count the rest.

Just the sensation of losing control like that, letting someone take full advantage of him- it had been near unbearable for the few moments he'd witnessed it, pressed up against Cameraman Jim. It hadn't meant anything- and he knew that Doc wasn't really overreacting that much, but... but it was a sacrifice he'd had to make for Anti's sake. He needed his lover to see that...

Without either of them noticing, Anti and Schneep had both vanished- and in their place was a man, smiling and crying at the same time, though they were only happy tears. His eyes were two different colours- green and blue, and his hair was just a little brighter than Anti's had been. He reached a gloved hand to his face, feeling a surgical mask where before there hadn't been any accessory.

In his hand, he carried a surgical saw instead of a knife.

Surgeon smiled in amusement, looking himself over. "Vell," he commented, stealing a glance at an amazed-looking Blaze. "Ze bad doktor has entered ze building,"

     

He didn't stay fused for long- within moments, the two of them parted in a small flash of white light. Anti gave Schneep one last reassuring squeeze. "Really, thank you, I... that was making me so  _mad_ at myself, and..."

"Anti- stop, please," Schneep chuckled. "Es ist mein duty to you, I vas merely doing my job."

"Well... thank you for doing your job," Anti reiterated. "But-  _shit_ , I have to go- uh, have fun fucking some sense back into your fiance,"

Schneep snorted aloud. "Hm- of course I vill. Take zis vone vith you, Anti,"

Blaze seemed all too happy to take his leave, linking his arm with Anti's, not looking back. The two of them left the office without another word.

Henrik sighed to himself, figuring that now would probably be better than later to confront his lover about what had happened. He knocked carefully on their bedroom door- no answer.

Henrik exhaled softly, opening the door himself. "Schatz, I-"

"And  _that_  there's the problem," Doc huffed, sitting on the bed and glaring half-heartedly at his fiance.

"Vhat do you mean?" Henrik asked in return, raising an eyebrow. "Vhat did I do, Liebe?"

Doc's eyes narrowed. "You didn't wait for me to tell you to come in. You don't  _wait_  for me, Henrik, you... you do things without consulting me first and then I'm left to find out the hard way."

"I opened ze door," Henrik deadpanned.

"Because I was taking too long to answer to you, in your eyes," Doc continued, folding his arms. "What if I was doing something I didn't want you to see?"

"I'd like to think zat an engaged couple has no secrets from each other," Henrik countered.

"You're not-" Doc started, groaning out loud as he looked to the ground. "You're missing the point, Hen, you don't  _wait_  for a response when you do things. You run off and end up on the wrong end of a knife, or lip-locked with a Jim- and I try to help you, but... but you'll always just  _do_ it. You can't be in control of  _every_ situation, Love- especially if we want this marriage to work out. We need to be a  _team_..."

Henrik was silent for a moment. He'd thought that Doc was just jealous- that he was hurt by the thought of Henrik with another man, but... but that clearly wasn't the case at all. "Oh... oh, Schatz, is zat vhat zis is about?"

"Of course that's what this is about," Doc sighed. "What, you really think I got jealous over a Jim? I wasn't upset about that- I wasn't even upset that you wanted to kiss another guy, I just... I wish you'd tell me things before you did them,"

"Vell, I actually vanted to kiss  _you_ ," Henrik pouted. He closed the door behind him, walking over and sitting beside his lover on the bed, entwining their hands softly. Doc let him, squeezing their fingers together warmly. "But I understand, Schatz, I do... Ich bin always ignoring your concerns und questions, because I think zat I know better... hmph. Zat thinking is vhat got me killed in May..."

"Exactly," Doc agreed. "I just... I love you, alright? And nothing is going to change that- and I'm perfectly okay with you having the control in this relationship. But it has to  _be_  a working relationship- not just about you. We need to agree on things before they're done, no matter what the stakes are. We're a  _team_ , Hen, we need to act like one..."

"I agree," Henrik stated, nodding his affirmation. "Es tut mir leid, Liebe... I vill be more careful in ze future,"

Doc smiled, leaning in and pecking Henrik on the lips gently. "Did Anti get it out of you?"

"Ze glitch?" Henrik asked, letting Doc unbutton his lab coat and shrug it off his shoulders. "Ja- vhen ve fused, it left me und returned to Ihn...  _mmh_..."

"Good," Doc muttered, forcibly pulling Henrik closer. "Because just to make you squirm,  _I'm_  going to take control this time. And I don't want you to be complacent and accepting of it, I want you to  _feel_  yourself straining against the urge to take it back. You're not calling the shots here tonight, Hen- the only thing you have a say over is your own involvement,"

Henrik let out a needy sigh of a moan as Doc attacked his neck with kisses, pushing him down onto their bed with a force Henrik hadn't felt in a while. His lover's hand roamed his midriff, hitching up his shirt, and their lips parted for just enough time to pull the fabric over his head.

Henrik reached up to brush his fingers against Doc's cheek, chuckling softly when Doc took them into his mouth instead. "You cheeky man... I suppose es ist vhat I deserve..."

**~Groundlands~**

_"Anti, Darling, come sit..."_

_Dark was sitting on the edge of his bed, dressed in simple black nightclothes as he fiddled with his fingers. The room was dark- it seemed like night, even though time was hardly relative in the Void. He could hear Anti leaving the en suite bathroom, walking over to him slowly, his footsteps echoing softly around the room._

_"Darky- no, I'm... I can't,"_

_Dark looked up- Anti was standing by the door, nothing but a towel wrapped around his middle, his hair half-dried and his chest glistening with excess water droplets. He seemed... saddened. At the time Dark hadn't known what to think._

_Now... now, he knew better._

_"You've nothing to be scared of," Dark had frowned, standing and making his way over to his lover, trailing his hand down Anti's arm. "It's just me, Dear..."_

_"I'm not really in the mood," Anti sighed, looking at his feet. "I... not after what happened today. Why didn't you let me defend myself?"_

_"They'd have turned on you without remorse, Anti, I-"_

_"So you'd rather they turn on you instead?" Anti challenged, his eyes watering slightly. "I could have... I-I could have talked my way out of that, you know? I wasn't going to hurt them- don't you trust me?"_

_"Darling..." Dark sighed, leaning in to press a small kiss to Anti's forehead. "I do trust you- with all my heart, but... but they don't trust you how I do. They don't know you how I do..."_

_"Then let them get to know me," Anti frowned, flinching away from Dark and folding his arms. "Stop- stop just scaring everyone away from me, I can handle myself-"_

_"Anti," Dark interrupted, reaching out to place a hand on Anti's shoulder, pulling him closer again. "I... I just want you to be safe, and happy..."_

_"I know that," Anti sighed reluctantly, letting Dark wrap his arms around him. Looking back, it was plain to see that Anti was restless... if only Dark hadn't been so dismissive. If only he'd listened..._

_"I love you, my sweet," Dark murmured._

_"Love you too," Anti replied, though it sounded strained and uncomfortable..._

_The next vision was one Dark remembered all too well. Walking to his room on a warm night, passing Host and Robbie in the manor's corridor... Host had seemed especially somber, but Dark had paid him no mind. He hadn't known until he opened his bedroom door that anything was wrong at all- oh, how foolish he'd been..._

_"Anti? Darling, we're going to be alone tonight," he muttered as he walked into his quarters, closing his door behind him. "I've no commitments to anyone but you, and... well, I was thinking we could-"_

_Dark let out a gasp as he finally set his eyes on a gruesome scene- Anti was sitting on the ground, knife in his hand, carving careful lines across the milky white skin of his arms. He covered his mouth, tears brimming in his eyes- and Anti heard him._

_The glitch let out a pitiful little laugh. "Ha... look who it is,"_

_"Anti, what-"_

_"Don't try to act like I don't deserve it!" Anti hissed, getting to his feet and turning on his heel, facing Dark as he held his knife threateningly in front of him. His arms were slick with crimson- it was all Dark could manage not to gag..._

_"Of course you don't deserve this!" Dark argued, stepping forward despite the danger. He knew Anti wouldn't actually hurt him- and even if he did, he wouldn't mean it. He was... difficult, when he was like this. When he was hurting..._

_"Then why don't you ever talk to me?!" Anti snarled, glitching a little as he shouted, his grip on his knife hardly faltering._ _"It's like you always know everything about me- things I don't even want you to see, but you never even tell me about you! Don't you trust me? Because I think I trust you too m-much!"_

_"Anti, please-"_

_"Please what?!"_   _Anti hissed, holding the knife to his throat threateningly. Dark's breath hitched in his throat._   _"I'll do it, you know! You may know everything about me, but that doesn't mean you own me!"_

 _Dark was in a panic- his vision was patchy and darkened by the sides, and he was breathing erratically. He stepped forward, trying to wrench the knife away- but Anti was much,_ much _stronger than he looked. Tiny red cuts started to ooze from his throat, not deep enough to cause any lasting harm._

 _"Please, don't hurt yourself,"_   _Dark urged, voice feeble and cracking slightly_.  _"I don't want you to-"_

 _"Oh,_ you _don't want me to? How rich!"_   _Anti seethed, eyes flashing, his knife digging even further into his open neck wound._   _"Do you ever think about what_ I _want?!"_

_"Of course I-"_

_"No!"_   _Anti scowled, something in his green aura seeming to throw Dark off his feet. The demon stumbled, hardly able to see which way was up through the pain and the hurt he was feeling. His stomach seemed to tingle, then the tingles gave way to a stabbing pain- Dark couldn't get up. He was stuck on the ground, and Anti needed him- he_ needed _him..._

 _"You_ never  _ask me what I want! You do what you_ think _I want without even checking with me first! I don't want to be your stupid_ pet _! I want to have my_ own _life- not just follow you around and get kicked down by everyone here,_ knowing _I can't defend myself! I just- I just want to be a_ person _!"_

_Anti dragged the blade across his throat harshly, the blood barely even having time to spatter before it disintegrated along with him. Dark blinked a few times, looking at the empty space before him, before letting out a choked sob. The pain in his stomach was subsiding, but the pain in his heart was only growing stronger..._

Dark choked out a whimper as he disconnected his hand from Mark's, the tears pouring from his eyes only growing in number as he buried his face in his hands. It seemed that even now, even weeks after showing the same memory to Seán, he... he wasn't quite over watching Anti kill himself quite yet.

 _"Shit,"_  Mark breathed, wiping tears of his own.  _"Fuck_ \- do you two normally fight like that?"

"I've only e-ever watched him take his own life twice..." Dark sniffed, the lump in his throat making it hard to breathe around his own wretched sobs. "I-I hate seeing him like this, it..."

Mark's hands were shaking when he reached out to touch Dark's shoulder, trying to act as a comforting figure- but Dark's memories, they'd... they'd shaken him to his core. Not only could he see them- he could  _feel_  them too. It was like he was there, like he was trapped watching someone his heart told him he loved as they went out of their way to hurt themselves over and over...

"I think I know what your problem is," Mark shuddered, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes. "I think... I think that there are three parties here trying to love each other in different ways, and... and none of you really understand what love actually is,"

Dark met Mark's eyes with confusion, holding himself tightly around his middle. "I... what do you m-mean?"

"Celine," Mark started, counting out on his fingers. "Damien, and Anti. All three of you are a part of this, but... just look at where you all came from. Celine had an abusive husband, who drugged, raped and murdered her. Her boyfriend is a crazed killer-"

"Ex-boyfriend," Dark corrected under his breath.

"She doesn't know the first thing about actual romance," Mark finished, folding his arms. "She probably feels that love isn't something she can ever achieve- that, or she doesn't believe in it. That's why she was dismissive of your feelings for Anti- that's probably why you two fight so often. It's all she really knows how to do in a relationship,"

Dark let out a winded sigh, knowing Mark's words to be true. Each one of them felt like a blow to the chest, tugging at his heartstrings...

"Damien," Mark continued, "has no experience. He was a closet homosexual while they were still being persecuted for it- he was probably scared of his feelings, and revealing them, and doesn't trust his own judgment. And because he's inexperienced, he has this unrealistic idea of what love really means between two people... it isn't like in the books, or the movies. The only way to understand it is to be  _in_ it,"

Dark nodded solemnly, tears leaking from his eyes like water from a broken faucet. That was also true... but Damien had known he was inexperienced and new to all of this. He'd been prepared to shape and change himself and his ways, just so that he could be with Anti... that hadn't been the right thing to do, he saw now.

"And I can only assume that you're Anti's first partner," Mark sighed, wishing that Dark would stop crying so he wouldn't feel like an asshole...

"Yes," Dark sniffed, rocking slightly in his seat. His legs were shaking, his hands not much better- Mark felt his heart lurch in sympathy for the man. He was trying his best, but... well, he knew from experience that trying your best isn't always the same as looking out for what's right.

"When you don't understand how something works, it's hard to trust yourself to know what's best," Mark explained. "It's easy to listen to everyone else, or... or give up the things that make you who you are, because you think that might help you understand. But it doesn't work like that, Dark. A relationship where you can't be who you are isn't a healthy one, and a relationship that makes you feel like you need to change is usually the same,"

"But I love him," Dark muttered, closing his eyes in pain and shame.

Mark gave him a soft smile, clapping a firm hand to Dark's shoulder. "Yes," he agreed. "Yes, you do. But love isn't enough to keep two people together, Dark- it's fragile, and it can break so easily... you have to be committed to understanding why things go wrong. To fixing them, and working towards a better future..."

"But I..." Dark's face suddenly fell, and he clenched his fists in frustration as his eyes watered again. "I don't... I don't  _have_  a future,"

"I wasn't talking about a long-term future," Mark corrected, his tone just a little more somber as he realised Dark was dwelling again on the matter of the cancer. "Every second between now and zero is the future. Don't get caught up in the idea that you won't be around forever, because... well, because you're around  _now_. And now is the time to talk to him, and fix things so that when-  _if_ , if you go, he... he won't feel like he was missing out on something,"

Dark blinked back a few more tears, pulling Mark into another hug- this time, he didn't want to let go. What had he done to deserve such an amazing grandchild? Why had he pushed Mark away all these years, when... when they could have been friends, if he'd just tried?

He... he felt he was starting to get it. Love. It happens in the strangest of places, but if it isn't cared for, it... it never amounts to anything. And it seemed that rule worked for family members as well...

"It's alright, Dark," Mark muttered soothingly, patting the demon's back. "You've got this..."

And suddenly... he was somewhere  _new_.

_Dark was sitting in an unfamiliar room- exquisite curtains lined the doorways, and ornate chairs were placed either side of a chess table, pushed up against a wall. A television was mounted on another wall above a simple black table, playing some silly child's show with various shapes and colours. And there..._

_There, sitting on the ground, little fist in her mouth while she sang along to the nonsense words emanating from the television- a small child, she couldn't be any more than two years old. Brown hair that was tied in a little ponytail, her fringe seemed almost green in the television light- her skin was pale and her voice familiar, something Dark had heard a million times before._

_She turned as if on cue, grinning widely as she ran over to Dark as fast as her little legs could take her. Her eyes were piercing green-_ Anti's  _eyes. Was this... was she...?_

_"Ma! Ma, come play with me!"_

_Dark felt themself chuckle, scooping up the little girl and balancing her carefully upon their legs. The child looked as though she'd been dressed by the likes of Wilford- if the bow tie and the moustache-patterned trousers were any indication, and her hair, curiously, had familiar streaks of green threaded through it. Dark ran a hand through it, pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead._

_"Ma's a little busy, sweetie,"_

_Dark turned to their side to see none other than Anti sitting beside them- black shirt and ripped jeans, pretty green eyes, and... was that brown hair? Perhaps it was too dark to tell- the only source of light was the television, which had started to play a generic song explaining all the colours of the rainbow._

_Dark let out a little sigh, bouncing the child on their lap, holding her little frame carefully so as not to injure her. It was the same little laugh that Dark could hear when she was kicking- the same voice that sounded in his mind when his baby was speaking to her. But... but it couldn't be, could it?_

_"I won't ignore our daughter for the sake of this conversation- we can talk about it while she sleeps, Dear,"_

_"Don't you want to make this work?" Anti asked, pouting a little as the child- Desiree- crawled over to give him a hug. He let her sit in his lap as if it was hardly the first time, not even flinching when she shoved her hand into his mouth and started to play with his hair, tugging at it without abandon._

_"Of course I want this to work," Dark muttered, hand still trailing over Desiree's back as she babbled happily in Anti's arms. "And it's working just fine,"_

_Anti frowned. "D, this isn't... this isn't fine. Unless you're here, it's chaos, and... and I think they need a chance to learn how to live without bringing you into it."_

_Dark cupped his cheek softly, inching a little closer on the sofa as they intertwined their hands. "Everyone's happier when I'm here, Anti- it's more familiar, and nobody feels isolated, and it's just like how it used to be-"_

_"What use is my happiness when it comes to your suffering?" Anti whispered. "I know you can hardly stand this- I know you want to be there for our baby, but I don't understand why it always has to be-"_

_"Look, Dear, if... if it bothers you so much, I... I can try not to get involved. But it isn't as though I have a choice, not in this matter- my presence is making the transition... easier, for everyone,"_

_"Not for me," Anti sighed. "Look, I... I get it. But at the same time, everyone needs to get out of their comfort zone, and... and learn how to handle what life throws at them. Letting them get away from their problems by bringing you here, it's just..."_

_He let out another sigh, holding Desiree close as she nuzzled into his chest. "It's not fair,"_

_"I know," Dark responded with a somber tone. "I know, Darling... but I love you. We'll fix it in the end, no matter how long it takes us,"_

_Anti smiled somewhat sadly, bringing Dark in for a hug and wrapping his arms around the three of them. Desiree gurgled happily, her own little arms wrapped tightly in Dark's shawl. They stayed that way for a few seconds before Anti let out a small chuckle._

_"I love you too," he smiled, squeezing them all once more. "All of you,"_

"I... I'm going to make it," Dark breathed uncertainly. He looked up into Mark's eyes, already feeling tears of relief starting to brew in his own. He wasn't sure he could stop the smile stretching out his lips if he tried.

Mark was confused. "I... I don't understand, what do you-?"

"That last memory," Dark sniffed, wiping his eyes. "It- It hasn't happened yet, Mark, it was a... a vision. I'm... I'm going to live,"

Dark let out a disbelieving laugh, leaning forward to envelop Mark in a hug. "I'm going to  _live_..."

"Wow..." Mark breathed, blinking away his confusion. "Holy... that's great, Dark, that's- that's amazing!"

"I have to tell Anti," Dark muttered, turning to face the mirror again. "I wonder... do you think he'll have returned yet?"

"There's only one way to find out," Mark shrugged, gesturing to the mirror with a happy smile on his face. "Hey... you're doing good, Dark. It just takes a little work,"

Dark let out an exhilarated breath as he opened the gateway to the Void... and Anti, it seemed, still wasn't there. But Dark didn't let that stop him- no, he... he didn't need to wait around for something like this. He just needed to let Anti know that he loved him- they'd be able to talk later, but now...

Dark suddenly had an idea.

"Do you have a pen and paper, by any chance?" Dark asked, turning to face Mark again.

"Yeah- you want to leave him a note?" Mark smiled, standing from his seat. "I'll get some for you,"

"Thank you," Dark sighed in relief. "The Septiceyes, they... they do love their notes,"

"Noted," Mark mused, leaving the door open as he walked downstairs.

Dark ghosted his fingers across the surface of the mirror. It would be so easy to walk through, and embrace his lover again... but no. No, this would have to suffice. A note, and... and something Dark had wanted to give to Anti for a long while.

A pretty, purple mass of flowers materialised on the other side of the mirror and Dark caught it, running his fingers along the smooth stem carefully. Anti would recognise it, surely- it had haunted enough of Dark's daymares that the image of it, what it represented... it was burned into his brain. But now, it had a new meaning.

The hyacinth was no longer an apology, not anymore... now, it was a promise.

When Mark returned with a piece of paper and a pen, Dark kept his letter brief- he'd have time to explain everything to Anti in person, this was just a... well, a notice. A reminder. A memo...

"Are we going to be busy tomorrow?" Dark asked Mark, pen poised just above where he'd write their rendezvous time, when he determined it.

Mark whistled softly. "I... um, yeah, we actually are. We're going shopping for wedding outfits- and we wanted you to come to... y'know, help,"

"I'd be flattered," Dark smiled. "It just means that I'll have to talk to him later tonight, or tomorrow evening... there. Thank you, Mark, for everything- you really... helped me understand everything so much more clearly,"

"Glad I could help," Mark nodded, catching sight of the flower that Dark was holding. "Is that for Anti?"

"It's... special, to us," Dark affirmed. "He'll see this, and... he'll know."

Mark let out a sigh. "You remind me- I need to get Amy flowers more often, she gets the biggest smile..."

"We'll pick up some flowers tomorrow," Dark promised, using just enough of his environmental manipulation to place the flower and the note on Anti's bed. Immediately, he felt woozy... but it would pass before long. He wasn't really up to using his demon abilities yet, it seemed...

Mark smiled. "Yeah, sounds like a plan. You should rest up- I'll be downstairs with Chica if you need anything,"

Dark smiled warmly at him again, giving him one final hug. He didn't know why he was being so openly affectionate today- but he found that he liked embracing this side of him. He hadn't had family to hold in so many years, and now... now, he never wanted to let them go.

"Okay, okay," Mark laughed quietly. "Save some for Anti,"

"Of course," Dark grinned when they broke apart. "For Anti..."

He hoped that Anti would have time to talk tonight. Between the news about his vision and Mark's advice, he had a lot to tell his lover about his plans for the future- he was excited, so excited... he had  _hope_.

For the first time in what seemed like years, he... he had something certain to look forward to.

_Please, Anti... I can't wait to tell you the good news..._


	36. Chapter 35

**~Void~**

"Is he really going to use sex to win that argument?" Blaze mused as Anti led him excitedly down the hall. Anti shrugged as he came to a stop, turning and fumbling with the doorknob as he opened his bedroom door.

Anti sighed nonchalantly. "Look, I don't know what those two get up to, and I don't really  _want_ to kn- wait..."

Blaze paused, unsure if he should enter, but Anti didn't seem to think it was dangerous. He just seemed... surprised? To Blaze, the room looked just the same as it had been whenever he'd visited in the past. But Anti...

Anti's breath hitched in his throat as he walked briskly to his bed, scooping up the pretty purple hyacinth and the note it was lying on, brushing the petals softly. He'd... he'd never held the other one, so he hadn't realised how smooth and fragile the petals really were. They glistened calmly up at him, seeming to almost glow in the dim light of the room.

"You can... you can come in, it's okay," Anti breathed, folding open the note and smiling as he recognised Dark's handwriting. He must have summoned it from the other side of the mirror... clever- but then, Anti supposed Dark was always clever.

"What's that?" Blaze asked curiously, looking at the little bundle of flowers. "It's from Dark, right?"

"A message," Anti answered, skimming over the note. It was brief and to the point- Dark never had liked writing long letters in the time Anti had known him. He wanted to meet Anti, and talk to him- he had good news? Well... Anti supposed he too had some news that would clear their chests, even if it could hardly be called  _good_...

"We just missed him," Anti frowned. "He wants to talk again at eleven- we'll have to get Google to set an alarm..."

"Why Google?"

"He's the only one aside from Bing that can tell the time here," Anti elaborated with a sigh. "And Bing's probably still having family time with Chase and the new guy- Blaine, I think he's calling himself. Google won't mind, he likes me... I think...?"

"What's not to like?" Blaze smirked, nodding to the door. "Let's go then- maybe if it's gonna be a few hours we can fuse and look for Daniel,"

Anti smiled softly, standing and leaving the note behind on his bed. He summoned a simple black vase for the flower itself, propping it up carefully on his nightstand, before turning to face Blaze. The ego seemed pretty keen to leave- the flames dancing along his arms were a warm yellow, and Anti could see he was practically bouncing with anticipation.

"I'd like that," Anti grinned, shaking his head fondly at Blaze's childlike excitability. "I can't believe I forgot fusing with you..."

"You won't forget this time, I can promise that," Blaze laughed, turning to walk out into the hall. "Which room is Google's?"

"Gah, I think..." Anti hummed, passing by each of the doors. "It's not this one, or the one on the end- must be..."

Anti knocked on one of the doors in the hallway, listening in for any sign he'd been heard. A whirring noise grew just a little louder- that was Google's internal fan. What was he  _doing_ in there?

"Google?" Anti asked, opening the door. He didn't see Google at first- usually, the blue-shirted android would be sitting at his desk but now... now, he was leaning against the wall as if he needed support. His chest was heaving as if he needed air, his eyes were flashing bright blue. He didn't acknowledge Anti at all until the glitch clamped a hand to his shoulder, looking at him worriedly. When Google met his eyes, he seemed... both afraid  _and_ relieved?

"Dear God, what happened to you?" Blaze exclaimed, following Anti into Google's room and closing the door behind him.

Google looked visibly shaken. He still had his eyes locked with Anti's, as if he was looking for a sign... a sign of  _what_?

He made a terrible, inhuman sound that Anti guessed was a gulp.

"I-I... Bing kissed me,"

Anti frowned, eyebrows furrowing in confusion- Bing? Why would Bing kiss anyone but Chase?

"You mean... but does Chase know?" Anti asked, heart sinking in his chest.

Google's eyes widened. "Wh-What? No, the-the new one," Google stuttered out, face flushed impossibly red. Anti could smell burning in the air- Google was frying himself with worry over... whatever this was. Anti hadn't expected this- not at all. Blaine had come onto him?  _Why_?

"Ah," Anti sighed, not really knowing what else to say. "So... are you two...?"

"No!" Google interrupted harshly, seeming to flush even deeper. "No, no we aren't anything, we..."

"Google, you're clearly  _something_ ," Anti deadpanned. "Whether you want to admit it or not, you two have a relationship now. What's wrong?"

"I... I-I don't know," Google uttered, eyes flicking from Anti to Blaze, then back again. He seemed  _terrified_...

"Well, was it bad?" Blaze queried.

"N-no," Google denied after a moment of silence, shaking his head.

Anti raised an eyebrow. "Was it good?"

"... No..." Google shuddered. "I d-don't know..."

Anti placed a comforting hand on Google's shoulder. "Hey... we all get paired off at some point, Google, it's nothing to be afraid of,"

"I don't  _want_  to pair with anyone," Google groaned in frustration, fists clenching out of habit. "I am a  _machine_ , I cannot  _feel_ , I cannot learn to l-love and I... I don't  _want_  to love..."

"I'm pretty sure that's what Dark used to tell himself," Anti countered. "And look at him now- all 'I love you' and 'we're a family' and 'darling'..."

"He always called you his darling," Google huffed, folding his arms.

Blaze raised his eyebrows, turning to face Anti with a knowing smirk on his face. "Seriously? And you never even thought he wanted you back-?"

"I was stupid," Anti interrupted, blushing a little as the truth of those words sank in. Dark really  _had_ always called him darling, and sweetheart, hadn't he?

"I won't let Google be stupid about this like I was," Anti sighed, pushing Dark out of his mind for now. Right now, he needed to help Google calm the heck down before he burned the house up in an electrical fire...

"We all knew that you and Dark had a  _special_ relationship," Google snapped. "I, on the other hand, am not as disgustingly affectionate and emotional-"

"I think you  _are_ ," Blaze countered, challenging Google to maintain eye contact with him as he folded his arms. "You just don't want to admit it,"

"Blaze, you're taunting him, that doesn't work on Ipliers," Anti sighed, pulling his friend back. "They're stubborn like that..."

"We're  _not_ -"

"You're just proving my point," Anti interrupted, staring the android down. "Google, I... I understand what you're feeling is difficult. I know my first kiss was- I didn't know where Dark and I even stood, or what he expected from me... I was scared,"

"I'm not  _scared_ ," Google denied, but it was plain to see... he was afraid of  _something_. Anti just didn't know what...

"Well, why are you so close to short-circuiting if you're not scared?" Anti probed. "I know that Bing could probably tell me, if you won't cooperate. Do you want him to know about what happened?"

Google's face fell at the realisation. If Bing found out...

"Don't..." Google muttered feebly.

"I won't, if you can give me answers," Anti sighed, standing his ground. "Nobody's going to judge you for how you feel, Google. Take Bing for an example- he and Chase are a happy couple, nobody cares that he's an android. There's more unnatural things going on here than a robot learning to love, you know?"

"Bing...  _Blaine_ , is different," Google uttered. "He is... a machine, like I am, but... he has so much life, and vigor... he is but a child."

"He's as old as you," Anti countered. "He's actually older than Bing and Chase are, which... y'know, doesn't make much sense with them being parental figures, but- you don't have to worry about  _age_."

"Age isn't what I'm concerned about," Google grimaced. "Age means nothing in this world where time is relative, it's... his personality. He seems young, and adventurous while I... I'm nothing but an outdated piece of software..."

"What is it with Ipliers and their stupid age gap things...?" Anti groaned aloud. "First Septiplier, then you... Google, you've  _never_ talked shit about yourself before. Something happened that changed you, and you might not know how to deal with it now, but... you're going to have to face it one day,"

Google closed his eyes, his brows furrowing slightly as he held his head in his hands. "I... I think I'd actually rather die..."

Anti only rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but that's your response to everything that takes actual effort. Maybe you and Septiplier need to have a talk about... you know, all this crap. I bet he'd understand you,"

Google's lips turned into a small frown, but he didn't argue. "I... suppose, that might be..."

"Hey," Anti sighed, clapping Google on the back. "I trust that you'll make the right choice in the end. You always do,"

Google smiled briefly- then, it was gone. Any sign of affection was hard to come by with him, Anti knew- but he also knew that Google did have feelings. He did care, he just... didn't like people to see it. If Blaine could warm that chilled robotic heart...

Anti shook himself out of his thoughts, shivering slightly. "Okay, that aside, I need a way of knowing when eleven o'clock is in this place- can you do that?"

Google seemed amused, if a little shaken still by what had happened earlier. His eyes flashed momentarily, before he handed Anti a watch he'd summoned on the spot.

"The watch will beep at ten forty-five as a warning," Google hummed. "I presume you have a date?"

"One more than you do," Anti winked. "But maybe not for long. You should talk to him, Google- tell him what you told us. He has a right to know how worried he's got you about this,"

Google grimaced. "I... when I see him next, I'll..."

"You're going to avoid him, aren't you?" Blaze realised.

Google bit his lip subconsciously- Anti had never seen him do that before.

"Perhaps," Google replied stiffly. "I need... time, to process what I..."

Anti gave him the most reassuring smile he could manage. "It's okay, Google, just... figure out how you feel about him. It doesn't have to be scary,"

Google gave a small nod, looking at the ground. "You have three hours, Anti, you'd best do what your friend wants to do now before you're late,"

Anti raised an eyebrow. "How did you know we were...?"

Google let half a smile paint his lips. "Nobody would listen to you give me a pep talk for this long if they didn't have plans,"

Blaze whistled softly. "Well, he  _does_ have a brain after all,"

"Blaze!" Anti hissed, nudging Blaze in the side. "Let's just... go find Daniel, okay? He's gotta be out there somewhere,"

Anti gave Google one more encouraging look as he left the room, Blaze in tow.

Google grimaced to himself, reaching around to open a panel situated on the back of his head. He didn't want feelings, he didn't want weakness... He didn't want  _Blaine_.

He  _knew_  he didn't want Blaine.

But... he clearly wanted  _something_ , or he'd have been able to shrug it off. The kiss wasn't his first- two occasions on Christmas had brought him under the mistletoe with Wilford and Bim, and he hadn't felt anything but mild annoyance with them. Was it because Bing...  _Blaine_ , was another android?

He ran his fingers carefully over the internal compartments hidden by the hatch, knowing that it was a delicate system... he'd have to make sure he didn't damage anything in there. He found a smooth offset piece of plastic, clicking his short-term memory drive out of place, and... what was he doing, again?

The last thing he remembered was someone knocking at his door. He was missing over two hours of time, but... he knew there must have been something he wanted to forget, if he'd taken his own memory away...

He crushed the little chip in his hands, feeling a sense of grim satisfaction wash over him. Whatever had been bothering him, warming his core and tingling his insides... it was gone. It couldn't hurt him anymore.

And if he never left this room... well, he'd never have to feel that hurt ever again.

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Doc?"

Doc looked up from a sheet of paper he'd been scribbling on, tucking it hastily into his pocket as he urged his heart to stop pounding in his chest. It was only Chase- but somehow Doc knew that it didn't matter who had interrupted him, he'd feel on edge and anxious all the same... It was unfortunate, but not unexpected. He feebly forced his muscles to relax.

"Chase," he greeted, beckoning the father into his office. He closed the book he'd been reading, shoving it to the other side of the desk as if it would help him clear his head.

Chase peered curiously at him. "Something's wrong with you,"

"No, no, it's... I'm working on my vows," Doc sighed heavily. "You startled me and I... I just... don't know what to put down,"

Chase immediately softened, walking over and putting a hand on Doc's shoulder. He gave a reassuring, proud smile- when had Chase become so confident?

_Perhaps, I'm just feeling cowardly today..._

"You'll get there," Chase assured. "Don't try to get everything down in one sitting, these things take time... it's not some essay, it's a promise."

Doc let out a humourless chuckle. "That's... easy to say. But I'm a man of science, Chase- I'm used to writing up reports, and essays, and... everything I say just sounds too formal. I'm not presenting a dissertation, I'm marrying the love of my life, and..."

"Breathe," Chase reminded, seeing that Doc looked a little out of sorts. Something... something told him it was more than just his vows he was worried about.

Doc nodded feebly, summoning some oxygen to wash over him, letting it soothe his insides... the breathing motion really does wonders. Usually, it would be him reminding Chase to breathe it out...

"What were your vows?" Doc asked softly, meeting Chase's eyes. "When you married Stacy?"

Chase shrugged. "I'm not some kind of poet, Doc, I used the traditional ones. You know, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health... it was enough for us. What we felt in our hearts... it couldn't be expressed on paper."

"So it's normal to worry that what you have isn't good enough?" Doc shivered. "I... I'm not sure what's come over me, I'm usually so confident in my abilities, and..."

"Hey," Chase interrupted. "You've got this. If you're worried he's going to judge you for what you put on that page, he won't. He loves you, he isn't going to stop loving you over some vows that could be better. You're not meant to know everything when you marry someone, Doc, it's an adventure you're promising to take together..."

Doc sighed heavily, wiping a tear from his eye as he let out a small laugh. "I have the strangest sense of deja vu right now..."

Chase snorted, smiling as he squeezed Doc's shoulder reassuringly. "Yeah, well... when it comes to being a dad, or being a groom, I guess I'm somewhat helpful,"

"Of course you're helpful," Doc scoffed. "In more ways than that- you're my  _friend_. Just by tolerating me you're doing me wonders..."

Chase shot him a wry smile, standing a little straighter. "I guess I should ask what I came here to, before you get too excited about me being here. Schneep left me in charge of planning his bachelor party,"

"Quite a mistake, I'm sure," Doc mused.

Chase smirked. "I was wondering if you were okay with me getting him a stripper,"

Of all the responses that Doc could have come up with, Chase hardly expected a snort.

"I think he'd be more likely to punch you than I would if you did that," Doc chuckled. "But it's your funeral..."

"It's just..." Chase started, sitting down in one of the chairs still scattered around the room. "Well, I'm the only one here who's been to a wedding, let alone been married... and my days were a lot more wild than you're probably used to. I don't know what he wants from me, and I don't want to step over any boundaries..."

"I'm sure you'll make the best decisions," Doc dismissed. "You know him better than you give yourself credit for. Did you have a stripper at your bachelor night?"

"Nope," Chase laughed with a sigh, seeming to recall something from his past. "But she did on hers. We took him back to a hotel room in Vegas, and I'll spare you the details of what happened after that,"

"You never cease to amaze me with how violently bisexual you are," Doc sighed fondly, shaking his head. "If you feel his reaction will be worth it, I encourage you... I know he won't want anything to do with it afterwards. Just how wild did your party manage to get?"

"Oh, strippers wouldn't hold a candle to mine," Chase snorted. "We actually... we went camping in the woods, me and a few mates... went fishing in the river, jumped off a cliff, had a huge orgy in the tent..."

Chase let out a bark of laughter as Doc's cheeks reddened, shaking his head in reassurance. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding... not about that stripper though,  _damn_  he was hot,"

"I'm sure," Doc swallowed, shaking his head somewhat fondly. "You're... you're definitely a character, Chase."

"Well, it's either I give in to crippling depression or make sex jokes, and at least the edgy humour gets a reaction," Chase mused softly. "But not every couple does what we did, Doc, I'm sure your bachelor nights will be great... well, yours will, anyway. I've never planned one of these things before- who's organising yours?"

Doc shrugged. "I had Host in charge, but... well, with him being absent due to the therapy we're testing out, he's going to be out of commission for a while. I don't know who else to choose... I'd probably rather Wilford out of everyone, but he's gone. Dark is gone, and Bim is..."

Doc's breathing went funny for a moment- Chase couldn't help but wince. He'd heard about what happened to Bim, after all, and death was never a good way to start a new era...

"He'll be back someday," Chase promised. "He isn't... he isn't  _that_  unpopular. I'd worry more about Silver, or King..."

"I'm worrying about all of them," Doc sighed. "It's... it's my job, as a brother  _and_  as a doctor. I don't know who else to choose..."

"Bing can do it," Chase offered brightly. "He's helping me with Schneep's, he'd be happy to organise one for you,"

"My level of humour isn't quite the same as Bing's," Doc smiled sadly, shaking his head. "It would be... eventful, and I appreciate the offer, but... but I think I'll have to plan it myself. That, or forgo a bachelor's night completely,"

"Wha- but  _Doc_ , it's the best part of getting married!" Chase exclaimed indignantly. "It's a night out with your best mates, living life to the fullest before marriage ties you down- and you can't just plan it  _yourself_ ,"

"My best life is with Henrik, Chase," Doc reminded. "And there's nothing I do now that I couldn't do with him by my side... rules and laws don't apply here in the same manner that they do where you're from. Marriage isn't something expected of me, it's... it's what I  _want_. Standing with him at the altar and saying 'I do' is going to be the best part of getting married, at least for me,"

"I understand that," Chase sighed. "It's just... a bit of a shame that you can't take your mind off of all the bad stuff, just for a night. Y'know, nobody's taking Bim's death easily, and without Dark here..."

Doc bowed his head. "I didn't mean to upset you, Chase, I merely-"

"You didn't make me upset," Chase interceded. "Now stop  _worrying_  so hard, and get up and  _do_ something,"

Chase gestured to the messy pile of notes scattered around the table- failed attempts at writing vows, most likely- and Doc inwardly cringed.

"If it's not coming now, it won't come within the next hour," Chase stated. "Your inspiration? Take some time to just consider what makes you two so compatible. Think about your future together, but don't try to cram it all down into some vows when you're not ready for that yet. The wedding's in two weeks, right?"

"Right," Doc swallowed. "I... okay, I can do that. I'll..."

He sighed vehemently. "I can't lie to myself, not like this..."

Once again, Chase got the feeling that this wasn't just about the vows. Something else was causing Doc to feel insecure and terrible, something recent... he'd been fine just yesterday, hadn't he?

"Doc, what's... what's really bothering you?"

Doc looked up nervously- it wasn't so much a secret, but... well, it was something that not everybody here knew about. Nobody would be happy if the news got spilled- but he could trust Chase, he knew. He just didn't know...

He didn't know if he could trust  _himself._

"Just... something happened with Anti, earlier," Doc sighed reluctantly, tears welling up and falling softly from his eyes. "Something that reminded me of... someone from my past. A lover... I don't love him like that anymore, of course, but... I still miss him. I still worry that one day, he'll come back and... and see what I've become without him. He didn't want to leave me..."

Doc shuddered out another breath, clenching his fists unwittingly. "I guess I'm scared that... just when it's starting to go well, it... that Henrik will leave me too..."

"Schneep isn't going to leave you," Chase muttered, face falling as he realised how deep this really was. "I... I don't know who you used to be with but he's  _nothing_ like that,"

Doc shook his head in disagreement. "No... Henrik is rather like him, in most regards. Stubborn and defiant, dominant and determined..."

"Well, I see you have a type," Chase chuckled under his breath, trying to lighten the mood.

Doc nodded, more tears brimming in his eyes despite his head's assurances that he was fine. "It seems..."

Chase sighed, taking Doc's hands. "Doc, listen... whatever made your ex leave you isn't going to happen again, not with Schneep. You two are the most put together couple here..."

"Well, you're right about one thing," Doc nodded solemnly, sniffing as he wiped away his tears. "What took my previous lover, it... it can never take Henrik from me. I know that for certain."

"What was it?" Chase muttered. "You're acting like... like he didn't have a choice,"

"He didn't, not really..." Doc sighed. "It... he had a mental illness, that's all..."

"Oh," Chase realised. "You mean... suicide?"

"What- no, no of course not, he's..." Doc shuddered, folding his arms. "He... he isn't here, but he didn't... die, traditionally speaking, it's... it's complicated."

"You don't have to explain it," Chase sighed, "I'm sorry for pushing you-"

"No, I... one day, I'm going to have to face what happened, but..."

Doc swallowed uncertainly. "We've got to prepare for the future... have you thought about getting married again?"

Chase's eyes widened- he hadn't really expected Doc to change the topic, let alone to this... "You mean... to Bing, right? Is that... I don't know, legal?"

"In a realm of demons and alter egos, you're worried about the laws of the Groundlands?" Doc mused, seeming to have gotten over his state of distress- but Chase knew about hiding emotions better than anyone. Doc needed to talk about what happened, but... today, he just wasn't ready.

Chase could understand that.

"Hey, normally demons and alter egos don't get married," Chase shrugged. "The only marriage laws I know about are the ones from the Groundlands. It's one thing to marry you and Schneep, but another to marry me to an android... I don't know if it would be the same principle. The world might have finally realised that gays aren't that bad, but I doubt anyone would believe I was in love with a robot,"

"But you've thought about it?" Doc probed.

"Look, Doc, we've just kind of adopted a glorified teen," Chase smiled softly. "Of course I've thought about it... and Bing and I definitely feel permanent where we are, but I don't think we need marriage, not now at least... but you and Schneep did,"

"Yes," Doc nodded, sitting back in his chair. "Yes, we did... thank you, Chase, for... for everything,"

"No problem," Chase smiled, watching the smile spread on Doc's face with a small amount of hesitation. He'd seemed so hurt- was it really okay to leave him alone now?

He sighed. Perhaps some things are best left idle... "And hey... if I ever do get married, I want you to have my back at that altar."

"You can count on it," Doc smiled, the last of his tears dried up like they were never even there. It was as if the previous conversation was nothing more than a terrible, haunting dream...

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

Phoenix frowned as he circled above the place that Blaze and Daniel had used to call home, worry sinking even further in his gut as he prepared to land on the blank nothingness of a ground below.

He winced when his ankles cracked, stumbling and falling to his knees- but he wouldn't be disheartened by a fall. He flapped and folded his wings behind him, getting to his feet.

"Guess I've still got to get the hang of that," he sighed to himself, wandering on the spot. "This used to be our bathroom... what do demons need bathrooms for? Well, we all have needs... and you needed a bathroom too? I thought you didn't eat? Hey, shut up..."

Phoenix didn't seem bothered to pretend that he wasn't talking to himself, muttering between the two egos that made up his image as he continued to scour his surroundings. Something felt... off. A chill in the air so similar to Daniel's, but it was...  _dry_. Not like a raincloud. More like a harsh northern wind...

Phoenix bared his teeth, turning on the spot as he realised just who was here with him. Blaze had never been afraid of her- she was unpleasant, sure, but she was friendly enough with him when Daniel was around. He'd been able to tame her.

At least, for the first few months...

"I know you're here, Pamic," Phoenix growled, twirling his red-hot blade in his hand. "What have you done with Daniel?"

The air grew colder, the Void seeming even darker around them as a woman stepped into view. She was familiar- alarmingly familiar, and her appearance shocked Phoenix enough that he fell apart at the seams.

Anti's eyes were wide as he stared her down, something about her seeming so familiar... That raven hair, those pretty almond shaped eyes, and yet- her expression was cold and cruel.

"Shit- Anti, what was that for?" Blaze coughed, getting to his feet. He stood protectively by his friend's side, not knowing exactly what Pamic was capable of, and not really wanting to find out the hard way.

"Nothing, she just... looks like someone I know," Anti shivered. It wasn't her, he knew it- it wasn't even close. He'd never seen this ego personally, but he knew her from the video that he'd only gotten around to watching in the past month. She was Pamic, an ego that spread fear and terror in her foes...

And she also just so happened to look almost identical to Celine.

"Wait- who?" Blaze asked. He turned to face Pamic again, raising his eyebrows. "There are  _more_  of you?"

Pamic regarded him with mirth in her eyes- Daniel had warned him about her. She was sadistic and cruel, and loved to torture her enemies. But even though they'd only met a handful of times, Blaze hoped that they had enough of a friendship to skip the forced anxiety attacks this time around.

"No," she shrugged. "Just little old me... and as for what happened to Daniel, I was hoping you'd be able to tell me that,"

Blaze's face fell visibly. "He... you mean, you don't know where he is?"

Pamic let out a small cackle of a laugh, folding her arms as the air grew colder still. "Is that what you're afraid of, Blaze? Is that your  _deepest_  fear, not knowing where your lover is?"

"Hey, back off," Anti threatened, stepping in front of Blaze protectively. "You might look like my girlfriend, but I'm not afraid of hurting you!"

"But you're afraid of hurting  _her_ , aren't you?" Pamic taunted knowingly.

The blood in Anti's veins seemed to run cold as his heart skipped a beat. She...  _fuck_ , she was good. How had she known that? Anti hadn't let the words leave his lips- but he knew they were true. He'd hurt Dark in the past- and Dark didn't trust him entirely because of it.  _Celine_  didn't trust him...

"You have a girlfriend?" Blaze asked incredulously. "I thought you and Dark-"

"It's complicated," Anti sighed heavily, not wanting to get into the details during this battle. "And no! I'd never hurt her, you're lying,"

" _Lying_?" Pamic hummed, stepping closer. "Fear doesn't  _lie_ , Anti. I never said you  _did_  hurt her..."

"Stop messing with my friend!" Blaze shouted, the air growing warmer, fighting Pamic's chilling atmosphere. Anti's resolve was wavering- he couldn't let that happen. Not again, not like this...

Pamic's eyes flashed as though she'd found a gold mine, and she stepped even closer. Anti's skin felt like ice- he wanted to escape, he wanted to cave in on himself, his entire world was crumbling and he felt like he couldn't  _breathe_...

Blaze grabbed his arm roughly, his heat fighting to keep out the cold words that had cut right through Anti's soul. Already, he was losing hope- but they couldn't just fuse out of this one. Not when the adrenaline, the sheer  _panic_  was rushing through their veins.

"Sorry," Pamic simpered. "I didn't mean to interrupt your calm, serene mood to tell you that your friends? They're not  _really_  your friends at all... no, they only keep you around because they don't know how to turn you away..."

Blaze faltered- and Anti caught him before he fell. He was still shivering, still overwhelmed and terrified- but he couldn't stand by and watch Blaze get trodden down like this.

"That's not true, you're the best friend I've ever had," Anti promised. "It's not true! You're manipulating us, stop it!"

Pamic smirked. "But where's the fun in that? You two are just so much  _entertainment_... so many fears... so many  _worries_..."

Blaze gritted his teeth. "We need to go, Anti, she isn't going to stop- we need to... get out of here..."

"I'm right there with you," Anti shuddered, linking their hands. "Just... remember Phoenix. He's strong, he can do this- he isn't afraid of anything,"

"He's a badass," Blaze agreed. "Okay, on the count of three..."

"Fuck that," Anti hissed, gripping Blaze tightly as their forms fell away once more, leaving behind a man with large, fiery wings and a cocky smirk upon his lips.

Pamic's face fell. "You... you're not affected. How can you be  _unaffected_?!"

"Hey, what did I tell you?" Phoenix taunted, spreading out his wings. "I'm not afraid of  _anything_ ,"

Pamic made a face of distaste. "You're no fun at all... and you're barking up the wrong tree. I don't know where Daniel is- he's been missing for over a month, pining over  _you_ , Blaze... he couldn't stand to be near me. He was  _scared_..."

She smirked up at Phoenix, folding her arms once more. "He was scared that  _you'd_ never come back,"

"No wonder he didn't want to be near you," Phoenix spat, clenching his fists. "You're a twisted psychotic bitch..."

Pamic rolled her eyes. "Silly, silly boys... fear doesn't always have to be the enemy,"

"You were trying to hurt us," Phoenix argued.

"All I did was open your eyes," Pamic denied. "But whatever- you're a waste of my time..."

"Hey-!" Phoenix shouted, but Pamic was already gone. He groaned aloud, wings burning even brighter with rage- how could she  _do_  that? Just walk away, when the closest thing she had to a friend in this Void was missing?

"Damn it," Phoenix cursed, turning on his heel. "I need to find Daniel, there's no other way... we could go back home and regroup- and lose valuable time? He could be hurt, or captive, or... or maybe he's searching... this is stupid,"

Phoenix checked his watch for the time-  _shit_. It was already 10:45? He didn't think they'd been away for that long. They'd only managed to survey the area around Anti's house, the previous site of Dark's manor, the settlements of lesser demons and malicious egos that had fallen into chaos with Dark gone...

"I'll find him, I promise," Phoenix sighed, knowing that to continue searching would be futile. He was wasting time here, definitely- Anti's time. He had to get back to see Dark, and at least that was a demon that Phoenix could count on finding. He thrust himself into the air, soaring into the distance...

"I know I will,"

**~Groundlands~**

Dark sighed to himself as he sat back in his chair, wondering if he should move to the bed instead. This position would hardly be good for his back, even without the added weight he was carrying- and as he stood to vacate his seat, he could hear Desiree pleasantly gurgling from inside his womb. He smiled.

"Hello, sweet one..." he cooed, resting a hand on his bump. "Daddy's here..."

_'Ẃђ_ _ἔʀἔ_ _Ƥᾄῥᾄ_ _?'_

"Papa..." Dark murmured aloud, lips twitching as he realised who she was talking about. Anti... she missed him already. Well, Dark supposed he couldn't blame her- that glitch held both their hearts, whether it was convenient or not...

"Papa's coming later, Darling," Dark soothed, unsure if she could properly understand him at all. She may have picked up on a few words, but she could hardly string together sentences yet... oh, but she was an intelligent one to be sure. What amazing feats would she be able to perform when she was older? Dark was excited to find out, to be with her every step of the way.

It seemed that just listening to Dark's voice was calming her now, making her happy...

And now that he knew their family was going to be safe... he'd be able to make her happy forever. He'd be able to make  _everyone_ happy-

He couldn't wait to tell Anti...

"I wonder if being in the Void will disturb you..." Dark hummed softly, caressing his bump soothingly. "I've no doubt I can get you there easily, when all this is done... it's only when you're inside of me that I cannot travel with you. We can go wherever your little heart desires, Desiree... I'll take you anywhere if it'll make you smile,"

She seemed content, even if she hadn't been able to comprehend what Dark had told her. He'd meant it all- she and Anti, they were his  _everything_. He'd move mountains for them, he'd do anything that they needed done. He was done with letting his power go to waste like this- he had people to care about, people to  _love_... It was about time he started putting his abilities to good use.

"And when we're too tired to take care of you..." Dark continued, sitting on his bed and propping himself up with a few pillows. "You'll have so many uncles to spend time with... they'll just love you, I know they will. Just like I love you..."

Desiree hummed happily, turning over in Dark's womb and kicking at the walls, her little feet already seeming like they'd grown since the last time she was awake. She was only around three months old- she should be less than half her size... but she was growing so fast.

Dark only hoped that she'd slow down after she was finally free of his body. He wanted to cherish every moment, every second spent with his baby girl while he could still hold her in his arms...

 _'Ŀ_ _ὄ_ _v_ _ἔ_ _?_ '

"Yes, Darling..." Dark chuckled. "I love you, so much..."

_So much..._

_ 'It almost makes me regret not becoming a mother...' _

_'With Mark? I'd say you made the right choice,'_

_ 'No, Damien, with... with William. He wanted children, but I... all I could remember was Mark's obsession with having a baby. I was so scared... and then it was too late,' _

_'Oh... I had no idea how serious you two really were,'_

_ 'He loved me, Damien, and I respected that. He was one of the last men in my life that still did,' _

Dark bit his lip, swinging his legs up onto the bed and throwing the duvet over himself. He'd felt a sudden chill... despite the warm summer night, a cool breeze was flowing in through the window. Dark felt he'd rather cover himself than close it, however- his back was aching with every moment he spent sitting upright, and standing would only make it worse.

He needed rest, he just... needed to stay awake. For Anti.

_'I still loved you, Celine. I always have...'_

_ 'You know what I meant,' _

_'Yes, but isn't our bond just as important as any romance we've entertained with others? We've stayed together for years, and we may have fought in between, but... but we've finally found our peace. Our love is strong, stronger than any demon's hold over us,'_

**'Stronger than my will, that's certain... but as you two may recall, I am hardly the most powerful demon in this world. Others could break you apart like a twig- It would be wise to refrain from being so cocky...'**

_ 'We never have to think about that terrible house again... this is a fresh start, for all of us. It's... almost too good to be true,' _

_'Have a little faith, Celine,'_

_ 'Faith? Hah... it's been so long since I've allowed myself to feel that. But perhaps it's time...' _

Dark hadn't noticed how tired he'd been feeling until he was fighting to keep his eyes open, arms limp by his sides as his heart beat slowly on. Desiree was moving- or was it something else? Truly, the sudden shifting didn't seem like anything he'd felt before...

"Ah!" Dark hissed, his back aching as persistently as ever. He felt blindly for a hold on the bed as he pulled himself up, suddenly feeling heavier and clumsier, his head pounding softly...

He caught himself on the edge of the bed as the black spots subsided, gathering his breath and pressing a hand to his stomach. He didn't know if he was reassuring himself or his child, but he knew that this wasn't normal- no, something was wrong... but it didn't seem like the kind of wrong that would cause him to panic.

Just to feel... well,  _on edge_.

_'What's happening?'_

_ 'I- I don't know, we should find Mark,' _

_'Are you sure we can make it downstairs?'_

_ 'We have to try, Damien- I'm sure it's fine, it's probably nothing to worry about,' _

Dark groaned aloud at the dull pain in his lower half, fumbling with the doorknob and opening his door slowly. He was almost afraid of letting go of the handle- he wasn't so sure he could support himself reliably if this pain was to worsen...

"Mark!" He called out, hoping that the man would hear him from his place downstairs. He had no idea of the time, whether it was night or early morning- he had no idea if he'd slept through his meeting with Anti or not, but he found he had other things to be concerned about right now.

"Hold on- I'm coming, are you alright?!"

Mark's tone sounded panicked, and Dark could hear the pattering of Chica's paws on the stairs that led to the second floor bedrooms. He breathed a sigh of relief- he'd been heard, after all.

"I'm-  _ngh_ , I'm just..."

Dark felt inexplicably warm-  _that_ was something that shouldn't have been possible. His body was dead, his light and his warmth being drained away by Tenebreux as it always had been- so he must be running a fever, right?

"Hey-"

Mark arrived, taking a moment to survey Dark's appearance worriedly. Why was he so worried? Dark felt fine, truly, aside from the mild cramping and the...

_Cramping...?_

"Dark, you're... you're white as a ghost," Mark swallowed, stepping inside and urging Dark to sit back down on the bed. He took Dark's hand and steadied him, careful not to pull him too harshly- and he didn't relax until Dark was seated again.

"I'm terribly sorry, Mark, I..." Dark sighed, holding his head. "I don't feel entirely-  _agh!"_

Dark doubled over in pain, pressing a hand to the underside of his bump. The pain was inside-  _very_  much so, and Dark couldn't even feel the source of it. It seemed his entire pelvis was moving, shifting, turning in on itself and...

"Do you want me to get Amy?" Mark asked in concern, feeling powerless as ever as he watched Dark suffer through his contractions, wondering if it was time- was the baby coming so soon? She couldn't be- she was barely three months along, but...

But Dark certainly seemed round enough to worry.

"How long would it take for her to get here?" Dark asked, his voice thick with an emotion that Mark guessed was fear.

"She lives ten minutes from here, Dark," Mark explained, taking his phone out and sending his girlfriend a quick text. It took a few moments to send- right, Dark's aura tended to mess with electronics... "Can you hold on for that long? What's happening, is the baby coming?!"

"No, no she's not even moving, this..." Dark broke off with a gasp, reaching around to push at the parts of his back that were aching still. "This is... something else..."

"Do you feel faint?" Mark asked worriedly, "should I get you water?"

"I just... feel... pain," Dark groaned. "And... contractions...?"

_ 'This can't be the baby- I've seen women giving birth and they're in much more agony than we are,' _

_'The pain isn't what worries me, Celine, it's the fact that this_ isn't _labor... what else could be causing this?'_

_ 'Well- well they could be fake contractions, like the body trying to... I don't know, get used to the feeling?' _

Dark's breaths had shortened, his head feeling heavy again... his mind wasn't at its best. But he could still hear- he could still see, if a little poorly. He leaned against the wall...

"No- no, don't go to sleep, you know the drill," Mark frowned. "Did you speak to Anti?"

Dark's eyebrows furrowed. "No, I... what time is it, Mark?"

Mark sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "It's past midnight, Dark, you missed him,"

Dark felt his heart sink, tears welling in his eyes unwittingly and rolling down his cheeks before he could stop them. Why was he crying? He could speak with Anti anytime, truly- why did he feel so  _weak_?

"Amy's coming right over," Mark told him, tucking his phone back in his pocket and resuming his hold on Dark's hand. The demon looked like he could use some reassurance, and Mark felt obligated to fulfill that need. He should have come to check sooner, he knew it...

"Thank you," Dark muttered, eyes closed and brows knitted together. "I..."

"Shh," Mark interceded. "Don't exhaust yourself, okay? Does it still hurt?"

Dark let out a small whine, nodding feebly. "It's like... like someone's hands, clawing at my insides... I just want this to  _stop_ ,"

"It'll be worth it," Mark promised, keeping his hold on Dark's hand. "Think of your baby, and watching her grow up, and seeing her first steps, and hearing her first words..."

Dark breathed out slowly, focusing on the vision he'd had. Seeing her, so happy and carefree, nestled between he and Anti as they all sat together in a private-looking living area... it was a future he couldn't wait to explore.

 _'Ŀ_ _ὄ_ _v_ _ἔ_ _... ł_ _ὄ_ _v_ _ἔ_ _,_ _Ɖᾄ_ ,  _ł_ _ὄ_ _v_ _ἔ_ _!'_

"It's definitely... worth it," Dark agreed, a little out of breath as his daughter's voice echoed in his mind. "I... I still feel off, but the cramping isn't as bad now... I do hope I didn't wake you,"

"Not a chance," Mark sighed. "I couldn't sleep if I tried- your memories were... intense,"

"I'm so sorry," Dark uttered with a groan. "I... I can take them back if you-"

"No, no it's fine," Mark interrupted. "It's not the bad ones I'm feeling, it's... just, the emotion behind them. I keep feeling what you felt, and that... that's really putting it all into perspective for me,"

"How do you... how do you mean?" Dark whispered, his gut seizing again, but only for a moment.

"I mean... I didn't want to accept that you and Anti were a couple at first," Mark admitted, looking ashamed. "I just... after so many people shoving my relationships with my friends in my face, I got really touchy about anything to do with shipping, or couples involving me. I guess I felt... I don't know, attacked?"

Mark sighed deeply, his grip on Dark's hand never faltering. "I had the mindset that you were an extension of me, still... even though I knew you weren't. I just didn't want everyone else to be validated for assuming that I was secretly sneaking around with Seán, I get... prideful, and arrogant about these things."

"It's understandable," Dark empathised, giving Mark's hand a reassuring squeeze. "You have a desire to prove everyone wrong, and... and Anti and I were in the way of that. I'm not offended,"

"I know," Mark sighed. "But... I'm still sorry. Seeing your memories, feeling what you felt, it... it sort of solidified that you're not just something I made up. You're real- you're your own entity, your own  _person_ \- you can date whoever the hell you want, and I shouldn't feel like any of that reflects on me,"

Mark met his eyes solemnly. "And the same goes for the egos... I know they're all seeing someone, and I'm okay with it now. They may be part of me, but they're also part of a lot of other people, and it's not fair to judge them based on my own feelings about these sorts of things,"

Dark's gaze softened. "Mark-"

"It's fine," Mark interceded, "I don't want recognition for that, alright? It's just... my own little realisation. It doesn't matter right now- is the pain gone?"

"It's on its way out," Dark swallowed, loosening his grip on Mark's hand. His knuckles had turned pure white from the pressure.

"Good," Mark sighed. "And about Anti- I'll get Amy to send a message to Doc, he'll get it to Anti. I'm sure he'll understand,"

"I just... wanted to see the look on his face when he found out I was going to live," Dark sniffed, wiping his eyes. "And I know I can still see that, but... But I also just miss him,"

Mark sent him a reassuring smile. "I understand. Amy has the keys, so she can let herself in- I'll bring you some water. Do you want Chica to stay here with you?"

Dark smiled softly, reaching to tangle his fingers in Chica's soft fur. "If she wants to stay with me, I'd be quite happy..."

Chica barked excitedly, hopping up onto the bed and wagging her tail in the air.

"Well, that settles it," Mark laughed under his breath, closing his door on his way out.

Chica licked at Dark's fingers, nuzzling into his side- and Dark ran a hand along her snout.

"Aren't you precious?" Dark sighed, almost wishing his own beast was this small, and tame... Dark Chica was a fun puppy to play with, but at the same time, she was a ruthless killing machine... it was just in her nature as a hellhound.

There wasn't much Dark could do to change the instincts of a wild animal...

Mark returned shortly with a glass of water, and Dark relished in gulping it down. He hadn't realised how parched he really was- he expressed his gratitude to Mark as he set down the empty glass on the bedside table, and the other man shook his head.

"Least I could do," Mark dismissed. "The pain all gone now?"

"Yes," Dark agreed. "I suppose this panic has done nothing but waste your time-"

"No, no, you can't just ignore anything like this- not this late into the pregnancy," Mark shook his head. "Look at the size of you, Dark- the baby's going to come any day now,"

"She seems content where she is..." Dark frowned, not knowing all that much about pregnancies to begin with- he couldn't rebuff Mark's argument, but at the same time... he didn't feel as though Desiree was going to arrive quite this soon.

"Yeah, it's the doctor's words, not mine," Mark sighed. "But I still agree with him- you've got to watch yourself now."

"Duly noted," Dark hummed, closing his eyes. If possible, he felt even more tired than before- but Amy was on her way. He had to at least say hello to her after Mark dragged her all the way over to help him...

"You tired?" Mark asked gently.

Dark chuckled softly under his breath. "Maybe I am a little tired... but I'll remain awake, at least until I can speak to Amy about what happened..."

"Well, you're in luck- she's just pulling in now," Mark stated, checking his phone once again. "I don't think it's something to worry about- it might just be a sign that the baby's on her way,"

"I won't die," Dark muttered with confidence. "I know that for certain... at this point, I'm not worried about anything bringing me down,"

"You're starting to sound like a certain douchebag," Mark sighed. "To think that Clue with the egos evolved into  _this_... you don't think he's still out there, do you?"

"Mark?" Dark queried with a shudder. "I'd like to say no, but he... he always did have a way of resurfacing after death. Bastard... I hope he rots in that pathetic house,"

"You really hate him, don't you?"

Amy walked inside, closing the door behind her and giving Dark a sympathetic look. She had an overnight bag with her, and she only seemed a little tired for someone who'd been up all day- just how late was it really?

"With every fibre of my being," Dark muttered lowly. "But I digress- I hope that my condition didn't wake you,"

"No, I was already up," Amy shrugged. "Movie night in with the girls- they won't miss me for now. Mark told me you were getting painful cramps?"

"They felt like contractions," Dark sighed, "light ones- and there was cramping as well. My back was the main thing that was bothering me,"

"He felt lightheaded and fatigued," Mark supplied, seeing that Dark wasn't going to mention that part himself.

"Do you think it was just Braxton Hicks?" Amy asked, eyes narrowing in concern. "Or something more serious?"

"I'm not quite sure," Dark admitted. "All I know is that it was hardly a pleasant experience... my child seems unaffected. I can only assume that it was not serious,"

"Yeah- I can't let you get away with speculation," Amy started, shaking her head. "The doctors need to know if something is wrong- are you male right now?"

Dark blinked. "I... of course,"

"Then maybe you should change into a woman, just so you can make sure there's nothing wrong," Amy finished, biting her lip.

Dark nodded, resting his head in his hands as he willed his body to revert to normal. His chest grew heavier, his shoulders narrowing, his hips seeming to widen slightly- and  _that_ wasn't an entirely comfortable experience.

She ran her fingers through her hair, still holding her stomach for reasons she felt she couldn't even explain to herself, breathing evening out as her transformation finished.

"There," Dark sighed, panting softly. "It's d-"

Dark felt something wet and sticky gush from between her legs, and she paled, mouth opening in slight horror- was that blood? She couldn't see- she needed to know, she needed to make sure that her baby was going to be  _alright_...

She stood from her seat, ignoring Mark and Amy's words of concern as she waddled to the bathroom, assuring them that she was checking something- Amy wanted to follow, but Dark held her back, shaking her head.

"I'll only be a moment," Dark swallowed, closing the door and dropping her clothes as soon as she heard the click. A thick, viscous substance was caught on her thigh, clear residue shining softly in the light on her underwear, and she let out a breath of relief.

This... this wasn't so abnormal. It was just mucous- nothing Dark hadn't dealt with before. But even if the feeling was familiar (and quite disgusting, she'd never liked the sticky sensation), something still felt...  _different_.

"What happened- are you okay?!" Amy's voice came through the door.

"It was just some discharge, I'll be fine," Dark called back, using some toilet paper to wipe away the mucous that was still stuck to her thigh. She shuddered as she felt the rest of it sliding out of her, catching it all in one messy heap. It jiggled slightly with the trembling of her hand.

"Wait- what kind of discharge- was there blood? Dark, let me in-"

"You don't need to see it, it's nothing to worry about," Dark sighed, tossing the wad of paper into the bowl of the toilet beside her. She reached down with a wince- her back hadn't quite stopped aching- and pulled up the hem of her trousers.  _Disgusting..._

"It was just mucous," Dark muttered as she opened the door, flushing the mess down the toilet and proceeding to wash off her hands in the sink. She seemed pale- paler than usual, anyway. Amy couldn't help but worry for her.

Amy frowned. "You... mucous? Like a mucous  _plug_?"

"I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean," Dark sighed, still holding onto the vanity as if she was using it as support.

"Dark, if you lost your mucous plug, it means the baby's coming," Amy said worriedly, checking the toilet even though she'd heard the flush. "And your contractions- we can't just ignore them. They could be the real thing-"

"They're not the real thing," Dark dismissed, "I know they're not- the real thing doesn't just go away when you move around, it keeps happening, and it gets  _worse_. I may not be the most experienced in having children but I do know the basics,"

"Still," Amy sighed. "You could go into labor at any point, we need to be more careful with you. Do you want to cancel tomorrow-?"

"No, you shouldn't cancel because I may or may not have lost whatever a mucous plug is," Dark scoffed. "I'm perfectly able to walk around- don't you trust my judgment?"

"No," Amy said defiantly, not even sparing Dark a chance to prove herself. "Mark- Dark's lost her mucous plug,"

Mark looked at her blankly. "Uh... is that bad?"

Amy rolled her eyes, holding her head in her hands. "I'm going to have to sit you down and educate you if we're ever going to have kids, Mark..."

"I'm  _fine_ ," Dark stressed, though she still looked as though she was in pain. "I just need... rest, that's all, my back is causing me some trouble..."

"Back pain is also a sign that labor is coming," Amy frowned. "Mark, I don't think it's a good idea to take her shopping-"

"But we can't leave her here alone, especially if she's going to go into labor," Mark argued, finally coming to realise what was happening.

"If she goes into labor while we're out, we'd have to call an ambulance," Amy fretted. "This entire thing, just..."

"I'm  _not_ in labor," Dark huffed, folding her arms. "I understand that you're worried for me, but I'm truly fine,"

"You might not be in labor yet," Amy conceded with a sigh, "but you will be eventually. We just... need to be prepared for when that happens,"

"You can't put your lives on hold for me-"

"We can," Mark interrupted. "And we will- and I'm sure Seán would agree with us on that. We care about you- yes, I know it's hard to believe, but Anti isn't the only one that worries about what happens to you here,"

"You're having a baby," Amy said pointedly. "You might think you're ready for it, but you're going to need our help- and I've got to talk to the doctors about you losing your plug. They'll want to see you,"

"I want to see my partner before I see any doctor," Dark grimaced, attempting to move past Amy- but she stopped her at the last minute.

"You'll see Anti soon," Mark reassured, tugging Dark once again to the bed and sitting her down. "But we need to fill them in on this, alright?"

Dark sighed heavily, finally coming to accept her defeat... they just didn't trust her like this. "I suppose arguing is futile..."

"I'll go downstairs and give them the message," Amy muttered, giving Mark a pointed look. "If the contractions start again, just call out,"

"Okay- thank you Amy," Mark smiled as she left the room.

Dark sighed to herself, holding her head in her hands, staring down at her bump with uncertainty written across her face. Her baby... was she really coming so soon? It seemed like only a matter of days ago, Dark had been living with Anti in the Void as a regular, if a little dysfunctional couple.

Now... now, parenthood was closer than Dark could ever have imagined. Was she really ready for it?

_'I think we're ready, we've been through so much already,'_

_ 'Giving birth isn't the same thing as living in a dead body for eighty years, you realise?' _

_'What, are you nervous Celine?'_

_ 'Not in the least, little brother- I just wish that they'd trust us. We know this body better than they do- and our baby isn't going  _ anywhere _ , not yet,' _

_'I hope for the sake of the wedding that you're right...'_

Dark bit her lip. Yeah, she... she was ready for this. She could do this. Probably?

The anticipation of hearing back from the doctors was possibly even more agonising than the pain in her lower back. She just wanted this to be cleared up and finished- she wanted her daughter, and her lover, and her  _family_... she wanted the new life she'd tasted briefly in that vision.

And she'd get it, eventually. She  _knew_ it.

She had to...

**~Void~**

Robbie opened his eyes in an unfamiliar room. He was covered in the sheets of a bed much like his own, and it was warm... much warmer than usual. His feet were dangling over the edge, and he could feel a strangely familiar, heavy body pressed into his front.

"You're awake..."

Robbie looked up to see Marvin gazing lazily at him from the other side of the bed. He looked like he'd only just woken- his hair seemed even longer when it was messy like this, falling to his shoulders in little ringlets. His mask was nowhere to be seen.

"Yes..." Robbie agreed, coughing a little to clear his throat. "We unfused?"

"Well, it makes sense, I guess," Marvin shrugged softly. "We weren't trying to stay together, so we probably... I don't know, fell apart while we slept. I don't know how they managed to keep this up for so long..."

Robbie's eyes flickered to the man he was cuddling up to, smiling in recognition. It was President- and under that coat he apparently wore a simple black shirt. His bandages were soaked in with old crimson, and Robbie sighed, sitting up and preparing to change them. He stretched his limbs as best he could.

"You're growing a beard," Marvin noticed. "Hm... kinda suits you,"

"We have... the same face," Robbie chuckled softly, fiddling with the ends of his sleeves as he summoned another, clean bandage to wrap around his lover's eyes. He felt his chin curiously- and sure enough, he could feel the prickle of a stubble coming through. Robbie hadn't really grown any hair in the past- he wondered why he was suddenly coming into the beard his older brothers had been born with...

"Your hair... seems longer,"

Marvin smiled, reaching up to trail his hands through the thick mane of green that was growing out. He let out a breathy little laugh. "So it does..."

President suddenly winced, and in a flash of dim light he vanished, leaving behind two familiar figures, looking bewildered as ever. Marvin wasted no time in scooping up Yan's form, pressing a good-morning kiss to his lips as if it was the one thing he'd been looking forward to all night. Host groaned softly, holding his head in his hands.

Robbie frowned softly. "Host? Let me change... your bandage,"

Host seemed to calm significantly when Robbie's hand brushed his own, and he smiled a little uncertainly, letting Robbie reach around to untie his bandage.

"The Host apologises for sleeping so long," Host mumbled, making a face of distaste as he felt the blood beginning to crust up on the pillowcase, fist clenching in the ruined sheets. "The Host is a mess..."

"It's fine," Robbie soothed, wiping away the excess blood with a wet rag he summoned. The energy drain made him a little woozy- but he'd be just fine in a few minutes. "Did you have... nightmares?"

Host smiled wryly. "The Host did not... The President was distressed, and had a restless sleep..."

"I'm sorry," Robbie pouted, wrapping a fresh bandage around Host's already bleeding eyes and pressing a soft, comforting kiss to his cheek.

Host's lips twitched at that, though he still seemed disheartened.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Yan yawned, chuckling as Marvin peppered his face with kisses. "Hey, c-calm down, what's the occasion?"

Marvin smirked softly, brushing some of Yan's messy bed hair aside. "The occasion is I love you- and I slept fine, what about you? Are you alright?"

"I..." Yan sighed. "Well, it was President, he... he felt uneasy, and didn't sleep well- but I'm fine! All that matters is that you had a nice rest, Sen... sweetheart,"

Marvin felt his heart flutter as Yan corrected himself, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face. He cupped Yan's cheek, pulling him in for another kiss- they hadn't had such a pleasant morning together in months. Not that the others were unpleasant, no, but this... it seemed  _special_ , in a way.

Maybe, it was because Marvin was filled with something he hadn't felt in a long time.  _Hope_.

Host linked his hand with Robbie's, brushing his thumb over the smaller man's knuckles as he heard Robbie chuckle with mirth. Soft, cold lips pressed against his own- and Host couldn't help but kiss back, tugging Robbie closer into his warm embrace.

"The Host wants to remind Robbie of how much he adores him..." Host murmured sweetly, letting Robbie pull him in for another kiss, then another...

Robbie smiled against Host's lips, finally pulling away so that their foreheads were pressed together, running a hand through Host's hair. "I love you... too,"

"So are we gonna get up and do something today, or do you wanna stay in bed and cuddle?" Marvin asked, seeming content to follow through with the latter.

"Whatever you want," Yan assured sleepily, blinking away the scum that had gathered in his eyes.

"No, baby, I asked what  _you_  want," Marvin stated softly. "You're just as important in this relationship as me, you know? You're allowed to have opinions,"

Yan sighed under his breath. "It's... not that deep, Marvy, I really... I'm fine either way,"

"The Host wouldn't mind sleeping for a few hours more," Host mused, patting the bed beside him and gesturing for Robbie to join him. The zombie curled into his warmth as he tossed the sheets back over them, pressing himself into Host's side and smiling when Host's arms wrapped around his smaller frame.

Lying by President, it just... wasn't the same.

"You should rest up," Marvin agreed, pushing Yan softly down until his head hit the pillow again, the red-haired man giggling as he pulled Marvin down with him. The bed shook slightly under their combined weight.

"I love you," Yan whispered, snuggling into Marvin's embrace as Marvin kissed lazily down his neck, leaving a few darkening marks scattered on the smooth tan skin. Yan let out a little groan.

"M-Marv, you've gotta... shh, stop, I won't be able to rest if you keep that up,"

Marvin smirked devilishly, moving so that he was straddling Yan's hips above the sheets, propping himself up with his elbows as he leaned over his boyfriend somewhat cockily.

"I know how to wear you out, if you want to take this somewhere else," he murmured, taking pleasure in the way Yan's cheeks flushed at the implication of those words.

Yan let out a small chuckle, threading his fingers through Marvin's hair as he pulled him in for another lingering kiss. "Well," he mused, licking his lips when they parted, "I can't say no to  _that_ ,"

"The Host reminds Marvin and Yandereplier that they are not alone," Host uttered, fingers trailing softly along Robbie's forearm as the zombie continued to doze.

"Right," Marvin agreed, helping Yan sit up, crawling his way off the bed. "Let's have a shower, baby,"

"I get the feeling I'm going to end up less clean from this endeavour," Yan snickered softly, getting to his feet and linking his arm with his lover's. "After you,"

Marvin's lips twitched as he led Yan to their bathroom door, closing it gently behind them.

Host groaned aloud. "The Host does not want to be forced to narrate that scene..."

Robbie smiled, turning in place and wrapping his own arms around Host's figure, nuzzling his neck softly. "Sleep..."

"The Host wishes it was that easy," Host sighed, trailing his hands through Robbie's hair and holding him close, almost scared to let go. "The Host is... troubled by thoughts that aren't his own. The Host feels as though he will be abandoned, and left behind, but The Host also knows that Robbie would never do such a thing to him..."

Robbie frowned, looking at Host's face worriedly. Blood had started to seep through his blindfold, a telltale sign of his distress, and Robbie let out a small sigh as he realised that he couldn't help this. Host knew he was being irrational- and there was nothing that Robbie could do to stop it except take his mind off the worry he was enduring...

He inched forward, tentatively pressing his lips against Host's again, seeking to distract them both from the topic of abandonment. Host didn't push him away- but then... he didn't seem all that excited, either.

"The Host appreciates Robbie's effort, but..." Host sighed softly when their lips parted. "The Host does not want to distract his love from his much needed rest..."

"I want you... to rest, too," Robbie pouted. "I love... you,"

"The Host loves Robbie as well," Host smiled sadly, scooping up the zombie and pulling him closer. Sometimes, he found, hugs were just as valuable as kisses...

Where had he heard that before?

_A dimmed room, heavy sheets thick with the scent of sweat, a body pressed up against his own, radiating warmth... voices, some he recognised and some he didn't, echoing in his mind. His eyes- they could see terrible, terrible things dwelling in the shadows of every corner, he clung tighter still-_

_"Love, you need to go back to sleep..."_

_"You won't leave me if I give in to the darkness?"_

_"Of course not, Darling, I'd never leave you..."_

_Hands, fingers, roaming his skin- someone familiar's intoxicating kiss on his lips..._

_"Is it bad that I want to hold you here forever?"_

Host suddenly pressed his hands to his head, groaning shortly as a harsh headache began to set in. He'd been getting them ever since his curse, but... but today it was an almost unbearable pain. Usually it was nothing more than a dull ache, but...

Blood-ridden tears seeped from his eyes, and for a moment the room was gone- Robbie wasn't there, wasn't with him, and there was nobody else around his shuddering figure. He couldn't see, he couldn't  _scream_... he opened his mouth but the sounds wouldn't come out. It was pain,  _agony_ -

"-Host!" Robbie was calling, nudging his arm worriedly. "Host... are you okay?"

Host's breathing was irregular and heavy, his heart pounding as he let out a pitiful whimper, collapsing on the bed as if he hadn't the energy to hold himself stable anymore. Robbie was here, he was  _here_... he hadn't left him.

He wouldn't leave him.

He would  _never_  leave him...

Host let out a small laugh, though it sounded like more of a wheeze, and he pulled Robbie into an even tighter embrace. "You didn't leave me..."

"I would never... leave you," Robbie promised.

Where had Host heard that promise before?

**~Groundlands~**

"I'm here," Doc said hurriedly, glad that Mark had been sitting on a bed when he'd arrived- there was no time to waste if Amy was right about the plug. He'd admit that he'd expected to hear a lot more crying out in agony if labor was coming- but Dark had never been someone to make a verbal fuss about how he was feeling.

How  _she_  was feeling?

Dark was sitting there, hand cupped around her bump, staring at it in confusion with pursed lips. She hadn't seemed to notice Mark being possessed at all- Doc hesitantly reached out to tap on her shoulder. He could certainly see the resemblance between Dark's female form and her male form- he'd wager they were siblings if he didn't know the truth.

"Dark- Dark, it's Dr. Iplier," Doc uttered hastily, shaking her shoulder. "What happened?"

Dark let out a winded sigh, shrugging with a small wince as she cracked her neck to the left.

"I was experiencing cramps and pain in my back," Dark started, shuffling on the spot and turning to face the doctor. "It was hard to breathe... I felt dizzy, but I was fine after sitting down. When I changed my body into that of a woman's, I had a thick, viscous discharge, but I feel fine now. Whatever Amy has told you, it-"

"What did the discharge look like?" Doc probed, worry sinking in his gut. He wasn't sure whether it belonged to Mark or himself- but he supposed that this situation was hardly good for anyone's health.

"Clear?" Dark suggested. "Gelatinous? It was mucous, Doc, the same as every month..."

"Yes, but pregnant people generally don't lose mucous unless their cervix is dilating," Doc sighed in frustration. "And with your back pain, and the cramping- it seems like your baby is going to come a lot earlier than we'd thought she would."

"She's fine, doctor," Dark shook her head defiantly. "I'd know if she was going anywhere-"

"Every pregnant woman thinks that." Doc interrupted. "But having a baby isn't something you can just  _sense_  is close, there's no easing into labor. It happens when it happens, and all you can do is be aware of it-"

"The contractions have  _stopped_ ," Dark said pointedly, folding her arms. "They were brief and minor, and it was only my dizziness that made the situation an emergency,"

"You've lost your plug, Dark," Doc persisted. "You can't deny that the child is lightening, at least. You might not go into labor for hours, days, even weeks- but it's coming sooner than you're ready for."

Dark sighed softly, holding her head in her hands. "I just... I don't want to be excluded from everything, not when I feel perfectly fine. And you said it could be weeks from now? What is the point of trapping me in here and keeping me from leaving, for  _weeks_?"

"Because you could literally go into labor at any moment," Doc stressed. "Your contractions will begin, and you'll think they're easy to handle until the  _real_ ones start. The pain is said to be comparable to  _death_ -"

"And it's a good thing, then, that I've already  _experienced_ death," Dark interrupted, eyes narrowed coldly. " _Twice_ , and then some."

Doc pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a deep sigh. "Dark..."

"I'm not being unreasonable-"

"Yes, actually, you are," Doc finalised. "Anti wouldn't want you to put yourself at risk like this,"

Doc's face fell, but her lips still twisted in a defiant sneer. Doc knew this mind state all too well- Dark felt threatened and weak, and she was going to do anything-  _say_  anything to stop herself from feeling this way anymore.

It wasn't healthy, but it wouldn't be the first time he'd had to talk Dark down from doing something prideful and stupid...

"And what would  _you_ know about Anti's wishes?" Dark challenged.

"I know a lot more than you do about Anti right now," Doc muttered under his breath, figuring that Anti mustn't have been in touch yet- the poor glitch had been worried for hours about why Dark hadn't called for him.

Dark faltered, her eyes shifting from black to deep purple, widening. She let out a sigh.

"I... I apologise for being so short with you, Doc..."

"I'm not going to take anything that a heavily pregnant woman says to heart," Doc smiled softly, glad that Dark had found her senses. "But there's truth in my words- he wanted to tell you himself, but Henrik and I made him go to sleep after you missed your date. He was keeping everyone awake with his pacing..."

Dark's heart sank. "Oh, that's... that's all my fault..."

"He'll understand," Doc promised. "Especially when we tell him that you're due to go into labor at any moment now. But Henrik and I found the results, and... okay, this might be a lot to handle, but... the baby can't physically be Anti's child. It belongs to Seán,"

Doc was nervous about sharing this information with Dark, but she seemed to be taking it just as well as Anti had- she was silent, brooding. Her eyes closed briefly, and she let out a little sigh- then, she nodded grimly.

"I'd thought so," Dark murmured. "Anti's body is immaterial- how could he create life...? How did he take the news?"

"Surprisingly well," Doc sighed. "He has every intention of being here for this child, Dark, don't you worry- but that's possibly the least alarming news we uncovered. You see, Anti's glitch, it... it renders him incapable of refusing unwanted advances. The night he cheated on you with Jameson? He couldn't say no. And what happened earlier with Wiish couldn't be helped either,"

Dark's brows furrowed. "Wiish? She... she came onto him?"

"Yes- Blaze helped pull Anti away from that situation, but he was feeling horrible about it afterwards," Doc explained, looking morosely at his hands. "He was... so unstable with grief that he had a mental break, j-just like..."

Dark's eyes widened. "But he... he doesn't have multiple personalities, I would know-"

Doc shook his head, cutting Dark off. "Schizophrenic psychosis isn't limited to people with dissociative identities- they're much more common than that. Anti is suspected to have several mental instabilities, and even though he is the only personality in his body, we both know he's been tortured by other voices in his head for many years,"

Dark seemed on the brink of tears, purple eyes shining with remorse. "Was he... was he alright? Did he hurt you?"

"He seemed to be aware of the fact that he wasn't himself," Doc swallowed, the memories just too painful to bear. "He didn't attempt to hurt anyone- he recieved help, and he slept it off- he's just fine now. It was just... all that pressure, his lack of faith in himself, it all..."

Dark placed a hand on Doc's shoulder, frowning. "Doctor, is this... is this about-?"

"I don't want to talk about what happened all those years ago, not now," Doc muttered, biting his lip as the tears rolled from his eyes. "I know you mean well, but... this isn't about me. This is about Anti. We concluded that he's incapable of keeping control over his actions in sexual situations- well, Henrik took it upon himself to prove... no, nevermind that. The point is, Anti had to be sedated earlier, he isn't the biological father, and he's a rape victim on top of all of that..."

Dark's eyes suddenly widened. "I- but do you think he... he couldn't say no to me, all the times we-?"

"I'm not sure about when he developed this affliction," Doc interceded, swallowing softly. "But the two of you are a different case, even I can see that- after being with Jameson, Anti was the most confused he'd ever felt, and angry, and  _hurt_. He couldn't understand why being with you wasn't enough for him- it was the same with Wiish. But I'm willing to bet that he's never expressed discomfort after sleeping with you,"

"But he still couldn't give proper consent," Dark muttered, folding her arms. "And that makes me just as bad... it makes me... that's two people I've assaulted in the past three months, Doc, I-"

"Breathe," Doc urged, a flicker of a smile crossing his face, as if he was remembering something. "Remember, Dark, you two promised to be honest to each other from now on- he'd tell you if he was uncomfortable with anything you did, do you understand?"

Dark sighed in reluctant agreement. "I... understand. But my heart doesn't."

"Hearts generally don't understand anything but how to cause troubling emotions," Doc mused. "You'll feel better about it soon, Dark, I know you will. And I'll tell Anti to come and see you as soon as he wakes up- I'll have Google send a message. Speaking of that blue-shirted little shit..."

Dark chuckled softly. "What has he done, doctor?"

"He's missing memory," Doc started, shaking his head. "Bing says he must have taken out his memory chip himself. I don't know why he'd do that, but he's being defensive and he doesn't want to leave his room. He only found me because he recieved Amy's message, and thank God he did..."

"Why is he suddenly being so reclusive?" Dark queried, eyebrows furrowed. It wasn't like Google to hide himself away- if something was bothering him enough that he chose to lock his doors instead of confront the issue, it must have been serious.

"It beats me," Doc sighed. "But it isn't exactly helpful..."

"Of course it isn't," Dark muttered grimly. "I expected better of him... but then, I suppose we're all a little lost in this situation. I wish you the best of luck with getting through to him,"

"Thanks," Doc chuckled under his breath. "Now- remember my warnings. Contact me if it gets to the point where you're having contractions every ten or so minutes- I'll possess Mark and assist the birth in any way I can. Same goes with unnatural discharge or spotting- keep me posted, please,"

Dark looked down at her lap, pursing her lips. She didn't want to meet Doc's eyes- even though she knew he wouldn't underestimate her abilities, she still felt weak and unprepared... She didn't want to admit it to herself.

It had been so many years since she'd been able to sit and do nothing, wait for the next big adventure... these days, adventure just seemed to find her in the most inconvenient times.

"I'll tell you if I feel something," Dark sighed reluctantly. "I doubt Mark and Amy are going to let me out of their sight again until my child is born- you'll hear from one of us. Now, I'm sure you have other tasks, doctor... you don't need to remain here with me,"

Doc smiled warmly at her, eyes shining with mirth. "I know," he started, folding his hands in his lap. "But it's just the first time I've seen you as a woman- well, I mean, with feminine characteristics other than your genitals,"

Dark's lips twitched.

"Yes, that would be true..." Dark sighed, brushing some of her excess hair out of her eyes. "You'd better get used to it, doctor- I'll be using this form at your wedding,"

Doc's laugh was interrupted by a sudden realisation, and his eyes widened as he looked at Dark with concern.

"Oh, shit- the wedding," he groaned. "Dark- you're due for labor any day now, you can't just come to an event like that mere days after giving birth- there's a care period and I won't let-"

"Doctor," Dark warned softly. "I've warned you time and time again not to tell me where I can and cannot be..."

"And I've told you time and time again that I have medical training and you don't," Doc huffed. "I want you to be there just as much as you want to be there, but there are some risks I simply cannot-"

"If I am able to walk, I will be going," Dark stated firmly. "And I will not hesitate to use force in doing so- I didn't raise you for  _five whole years_ just to be excluded from your wedding celebrations, I hope you realise..."

Doc knew that arguing would be pointless- Dark was strong-willed and determined as ever, and they couldn't keep her away from the wedding if they tried. It wasn't right to determine what Dark was capable of, but at the same time...

At the same time, everyone knew that Dark was practically incapable of helping herself.

"Just..." Doc sighed. "Just wait until the day arrives. You could have your child today, or tomorrow... you might even be pregnant still by the time the wedding rolls around. I don't know what to make of it, and this entire thing has gone by so fast..."

Doc reached out, pressing a cool hand to the doctor's cheek. "I care about you, Edward..."

Doc flinched, heart leaping out of his chest as he felt his cheeks flush. "Dark, no, you know how I... I haven't used that name in years..."

"I know," Dark muttered apologetically. "But one day you'll want to own that name again. You can't let your previous relationship tie you down forever,"

"Technically my previous relationship was with Wilford," Doc corrected halfheartedly, feeling ill all of a sudden just thinking about the implications of that name. It was so silly... but it still brought fear to his chest like nothing else.

It still brought repressed, unwanted memories...

"I could say the same," Dark sighed, chuckling softly. "That man certainly gets around, doesn't he... do the others know that Anti and I found him, earlier this week?"

Doc shook his head. "No- only Henrik, Jameson and myself know. It would only cause more anger in the others, so it's best left secret until he comes back. Poor Jameson... he's trying to move on, but he's still not over what happened,"

"It's only been a matter of days, doctor," Dark soothed, sensing that Doc was growing stressed. "Not everyone moves on as quickly as I do- it's a habit I picked up long ago, one that certainly comes in handy at times... but Jameson is going through a grieving process. You must give him time,"

"Time..." Doc repeated, swallowing softly. "Yeah... right, I can do that. I don't want him to hurt himself again, but I think that was something to do with Anti's glitch, anyway. It's a wonder that you aren't affected like he was..."

"Perhaps it's something only Seán's personalities are influenced by," Dark muttered, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "If I'm not troubled by it, but both Henrik and Jameson were... but that would indicate that there's something wrong with Seán himself. I can't imagine what..."

"Well- I'll ask Anti about it when he wakes up," Doc promised. "We'll get to the bottom of this, I know we will. In the meantime- drink plenty of water, eat some food. Pregnant women tend to lose weight just before labor- and you're in no state to refuse to take care of yourself, Dark. Think about the future of your child, do what's best for her,"

"Of course," Dark relented. "I... good luck, Doc. With everything..."

Doc's lips twitched. "I may need it..."

Mark blinked when he gained back control over his body. He looked at Dark with worry in his eyes, glancing down at his hands.

"I... did he just insinuate he's going to use my body to deliver a  _child_?"

"I'd be honoured," Dark laughed warmly, enjoying the strange expression painted on Mark's features. "I should... get to sleep now. Thank you for being here, and helping me, even if... you know, I'm not the most forgiving person when I feel..."

"Hey, don't sweat it," Mark sighed, shaking himself out of his thoughts. "I get what you're going through, it's all good. I'll listen out for you if you need anything- just scream if your water breaks,"

"I'll do nothing of the sort," Dark huffed. "I'm stronger than your average pregnant woman, Mark, I can handle a little pain..."

Mark could only smirk knowingly, doubting that statement with every fibre of his body.

"Of course," he agreed sarcastically. "But just in case you need help from a big man like me, I'm the third door down the hall,"

Dark sighed heavily. "I... thank you, really,"

"You're welcome," Mark finished. "Now, go back to sleep- you look like an actual vampire,"

"You're starting to sound like my mother," Dark murmured, rolling her eyes as she tucked herself under the sheets, arranging her pillows underneath her.

"Well, she was my great grandmother," Mark shrugged. "Guess it runs in the... wait. Your kid's technically my aunt, isn't she?"

Dark chuckled with mirth, eyes drifting closed as she succumbed to the sleep that she'd been holding off for what felt like hours. "Goodnight, Mark,"  
  



	37. Chapter 36

**~Void~**

"Google? Hey, listen, I..."

Blaine cut himself off with a sigh. He knew Google was in there- he could sense him as easily as a spider senses its prey in the web. The older android was emitting radio waves at different frequencies, non-consistently- and Bing had told him that was very unusual for Google. He'd been worried about why Google was being so different- but how could Blaine let the news come out?

Blaine  _knew_ why Google was acting so weird all of a sudden. It was because of that kiss- it  _had_  to be. Why else would he be avoiding Blaine so purposefully?

 _This is all my fault... why did I trust my instincts? I should have known he wasn't into me- heck, I'm not even sure if I'm into_ him _... what would Angus do?_

Blaine was fairly sure that Angus hadn't ever been in a committed relationship, actually- just a handful of one-night stands from place to place... He'd be the worst to go to for advice about this- and he was already preparing to leave Halter's place for the next great adventure. Maybe, he was already gone...

The decision to leave his brother and closest friend behind hadn't been easy- Blaine loved Angus, he really did, but... but he had a family here. A chance to feel normal, and included, and safe from the dangers of the outside world. Adventure was fun, but Blaine felt it was time for him to take a seat and enjoy the simpler things before they escaped him.

Well. That hadn't exactly gone to plan, had it?

"Google, please, I just want to talk about what happened," Blaine tried again, knocking gently on the door. His core jolted gently when he heard Google get to his feet, walking over to the door and-

"Do I know you?" Google asked, blinking curiously.

"I- what do you mean, of course you know me," Blaine stated, artificial skin warming as he tried to process what was happening. Google didn't seem to remember him, not at all- but that  _couldn't_ be right. He was here just two hours ago, Bing and Chase had introduced them- and when they'd left to talk with the fusions, Blaine had been left alone with him.

Didn't he remember the conversation? The secrets they shared, or the advice they'd sought from each other? Didn't he remember Blaine stepping forward to offer him a hug, tripping and landing in his arms?

Didn't he remember the worry in Blaine's tone after their lips parted from a spur-of-the-moment kiss, muttering apologies that had only been met with an 'it's fine'?

"I'm afraid I don't recall meeting you," Google reiterated, eyes flashing blue. "But I do recognise your image. You are BingSepticeye, aren't you?"

Blaine let out a breath, bowing his head as his fingers kneaded the fabric of his pockets nervously. "I am, but I... I go by Blaine now. I'm new around here- you don't remember meeting me, at all?"

Google frowned his way- he seemed confused, but also... also as if he knew something. Something more than he was letting on.

The blue-shirted android shook his head.

"Not at all. It's a pleasure to meet you, Bing... Blaine. Please, forgive me,"

"It's..." Blaine started, not knowing whether to scream or cry. He felt  _terrible_ \- he'd made a mistake and the only other person involved in his dilemma had developed a sudden case of amnesia. He couldn't talk to anyone else- it was  _embarrassing_ , for one. How desperate had he been for romantic affection that he'd thrown himself at the first person who'd given him company?

Google looked worried, though Blaine knew he'd never admit it. It was one of the things they'd spoken about earlier, one of the things Google didn't remember sharing- his reluctance to admit his own attachment, his refusal to accept his emotions for what they were. Blaine had sympathised with him- it wasn't easy being a search engine in this Void of outdated demons and human egos. It had taken Blaine some time before he'd even broken free of his strict programming, embracing the chance at life he'd been given.

The look in Google's eyes had been mistaken easily for wonder. It was part of the reason Blaine had kissed him in the first place. For a moment there, he really thought they'd had a connection...

"It's fine," Blaine muttered. "I... I have to leave,"

Google's eyebrows furrowed. "What is the matter?"

Blaine couldn't do this- not with what he already knew. Google had trusted him once, and he'd  _broken_  that trust, and now? Now, he had no business trying again. Life wasn't full of second chances, not even when they were so tempting. The guilt still lives on, even when nobody else remembers...

Blaine ducked out of view, practically running into the hallway as he left Google's door without a second glance. Not like this, not like  _this_... he needed to find Angus. This was a mistake, it was  _all_  a-

"Whoa!"

Blaine collided harshly with someone familiar, knocking them both to the ground. A cap embroidered with a skull fell to the floor beside him, and Chase rubbed at his forehead softly, nursing the rising wound. A small bump had started to form where their skulls had collided- but the damage was a little more extensive in Blaine's case.

Chase winced, reaching forward to cup Blaine's chin as he examined the impact wound on the robot's temple. It was a dent- barely as deep as the shadows were suggesting, but deep enough to cause a delicate internal compartment to fracture. He could only hope that Blaine was actually alright- sometimes, he'd found, it was the less-noticeable wounds that caused the most damage-  _especially_  in androids.

"You okay there buddy?" Chase asked, picking up his hat as he helped Blaine to his feet.

The smaller robot looked dizzy, and frantic. "I... no, but... it's not the fall. Can we... talk, privately?"

The poor thing looked absolutely horrified- what had he done to himself? Chase hadn't seen him since he'd left the new guy with Google, and it had been about an hour since then. He'd had time to be lectured on coddling by Necro (and with Robbie's passion and Marvin's sass combined, he was certainly a force to be reckoned with), and then retire to his room with Bing.

They'd been talking about what kind of living arrangements they'd have when the manor was brought back. Because even though neither of them had discussed it with Blaine, it was just kind of assumed that he'd be living with them...

Blaine was biting the inside of his mouth- it was a terrible habit, especially for an android to possess. They could bite straight through that artificial muscle if they were agitated enough, Chase was sure.

"Yeah- hey, come to my room and we can chat," Chase ushered, gesturing to his open bedroom door. He'd been on his way out to find Anti, having heard him in the hallway around half an hour beforehand- he'd wanted to ask if he could give Dark a message, but... well, his maybe-sort-of-adopted-son seemed to need him more.

It reminded him- he  _really_  needed to talk to Blaine about making him a proper part of the family...

Blaine certainly seemed on-edge. He sat down on Chase's bed without saying a word, his internal fan working overtime to cool his body down. He was stressed- Chase could tell that a mile away. But stressed about what? Surely nobody in the house had a problem with him- he was one of the sweetest robots Chase knew...

"So what's up?" Chase asked, sitting beside the smaller droid and slinging an arm over his shoulder. Blaine seemed happy for the comfort- though his skin was definitely hot to the touch. If Chase didn't know any better, he'd say Blaine felt embarrassed...

"It's... about Google," Blaine muttered, cheeks flushed as the smell of an electrical burn started to waft through the room. "I... think I broke him?"

Chase's eyebrows furrowed. "You think... what? I mean, Bing says he's missing memory but he did that to himself, it wasn't about-"

"It  _was_  about me," Blaine sighed, cutting Chase off. "I... I kissed him, earlier. He didn't want it."

Chase's mouth fell open in shock- it was a humorous shock, yes, but it took him a moment to process what exactly had just been said. His eyes flickered to Blaine's yellow ones, amused.

"You mean-  _you_... oh my God, that shit's hilarious," Chase snorted, trying to catch his breath. "I mean- don't get me wrong, I know it feels shitty, but... man, he's the embodiment of that saying, the... the one where you cut your nose off to spite your face. He took away his own memory, because he couldn't handle someone else's affection... and here I thought he was making  _progress_ ,"

Blaine blinked, confusion evident on his face. He usually had all the information on things like this- he was a social bot. He was excellent at profiling and remembering data, he was good at judging people- he'd been crushed at the thought of misinterpreting a situation like that.

But Chase spoke of what had happened as though it was hardly the first time.

"Let me explain," Chase sighed, patting Blaine's back comfortingly. "Google is... in short, a tight-ass. He not only can't handle sentimentality, he's  _terrified_  of it. He's a stickler for the rules because he's scared of change, and he'd break over the smallest disruptions to his regular routine. I don't want you to feel like it's something to do with you as a person, alright? It's just... Google being Google. Why'd you kiss him- do you  _like_ him?"

Blaine huffed slightly- God, this was just like explaining to an overexcited mother that you and the guy you hang out with are just friends. Something inside of him was okay with that- even though it felt embarrassing, it felt  _warm_. Chase cared... Chase cared more than Angus would have, about something so trivial. Like a parent.

Was that weird?

"I thought, maybe..." Blaine started, trailing off with a sigh. "I don't know what came over me- I don't like him the way I thought I would. I'd hoped that we could hit it off, y'know... 'cause I'm only here because he is. I was created to be a rival for him- but since I was fan made, it all turned into shipping within weeks. I thought maybe it would be easy..."

Chase whistled softly. "Yeah, sorry bud. Google isn't ready for something like that right now- but I'm sure he'd learn to love you eventually. I think he needs someone to keep him on his toes, to change things around every so often. He just can't seem to break any of his old habits..."

"Well- how did you and Bing know you wanted each other?" Blaine asked, fidgeting with his fingers as he stared at the wall. "How did you know you were... ready, for something like that?"

Chase chuckled under his breath. "Now Bing and I... we were the biggest dumbasses about our entire relationship. We're not the ones you should look up to when it comes to finding a boyfriend- or girlfriend, you don't need to define yourself yet. I liked him, and he liked me, but neither of us wanted to ruin our friendship- so we kept it a secret for like a year, but then after I almost  _died_ , he just started making out with me- blood and all,"

Blaine crinkled his nose in response to that visual. "Gross,"

Chase smirked proudly. "And that, kids, is how I met your mother,"

"What,  _I'm_  the mom?"

Blaine's eyes flickered to the doorway, where Bing had just entered the room. He took up a seat next to Blaine, giving Chase a welcome kiss on his way down, a smirk playing on his features. He didn't seem to mind being referred to as 'the mom' at all, despite his exclamation.

Bing frowned as he placed a hand on Blaine's forehead, feeling the dent that had formed on the otherwise smooth surface. Blaine felt his core start to thrum softly in time with the other android's, feeling the concern radiating from him in waves... Blaine had thought it was fine, but Bing apparently had other ideas. It was growing ever more convenient having a more experienced android around to help him out...

"Dude, are you okay? What happened?"

"Oh, that..." Chase remembered, shaking his head. "Poor guy bumped into me in the hallway, hurt himself in the process. What do you think? Is he in any sort of trouble?"

Bing's frown only deepened as he brushed Blaine's fringe back, examining the seam of the artificial skin, feeling for a change in temperature. A knock to the skull at the wrong angle could expose wires capable of burning right through his face, if he wasn't careful...

"The seam here has been pulled down by the force of impact," Bing noted, wincing at the tear in the smooth skin of Blaine's hairline. "I can seal it back into place, but you might want to check with Google to see if your internal components are damaged. Is it painful?"

"N-no, not at all," Blaine denied, closing his eyes as he sensed an extreme, searing heat above his brow. "I don't feel... a thing,"

"You must have broken your sensory processor a little," Bing sighed, thumbing over the warmed plastic to smooth it back into place. "I can take a look at it, if you'd like- even though I'm not the best at repairs, I know... some stuff,"

"I trust you," Blaine swallowed thickly, the smell of burned plastic now flooding the room as Bing undid a latch keeping Blaine's skull in one piece.

Chase shuddered. "Dude, I'm getting so many Frankenstein movie flashbacks right now... you sure you don't feel anything?"

"Androids don't feel their internal components, they are simply aware of problems that arise due to failsafe precautions," Blaine muttered, closing his eyes. "Similarly to how humans don't feel the friction of their internal organs brushing together. Such intricate sensory pathways would be inefficient,"

"You're starting to sound like Googs," Bing hummed in amusement, removing his hand harshly when a sudden spark zapped his finger.

"Shit- what was that?!" Chase exclaimed, looking worriedly at Bing.

Bing blinked away his confusion. "I... I think it was an overload- it's not too serious. That knock to his head must have dislodged a bracket somewhere. I'm going to need you to deactivate for a few minutes, buddy, it won't be long,"

Blaine looked worried as he met Chase's eyes. "I... I'm gonna be okay, right?"

"Of course you are," Chase replied breathlessly, putting his own concerns aside in order to look like he was confident in Bing's abilities. And he was- it was just... something about the thought of losing Blaine, however impossible, was causing him to get a tightness in his chest.

Blaine let out another breath, calming himself as much as he could. He reached out to grip Chase's hand despite not being able to feel the touch- and Chase watched as he slumped forward, his eyes dimming softly.

"Shit, I hate it when you guys do that..." Chase muttered, keeping his hold on Blaine's hand, even though there was really no point in comforting the shell of Blaine's body while he was turned off.

"Serves you right for almost dying on me in May," Bing huffed, gently tipping Blaine's facial plates forward so that Chase could see the dent. From the inside, it looked a whole lot worse than before. Chase swallowed guiltily.

"Shit... I've clearly got a strong head," Chase sighed remorsefully. "Is he going to be okay?"

"I wouldn't take all the credit if I was you," Bing stated, shaking his head as he pointed to various places around the surface of the metal that seemed thinner and weaker than the others. "I guess Blaine and Angus got up to some pretty dangerous stuff in the past few years. The metal's been worn away, and- aha! Here's the problem..."

Bing reached down, ignoring a few sparks that seared the edges of his fingers as he grasped at a fallen piece of metal. It was a tiny bracket- one that had evidently been holding Blaine's forehead together, having been knocked astray in the impact most likely...

"What would have happened if we left that?" Chase asked, worry pooling in his gut at the possibilities.

Bing bit his lower lip. "Well... best case scenario, he wouldn't have damaged his head any more and it  _probably_  wouldn't have started a fire,"

Chase shuddered. "Dear God... and the worst case scenario?"

Bing let out a sigh. "His skull could have fallen apart at a sudden movement, or... if he thought too hard about something, this wire here could have melted through his skin."

"Thank God you're here," Chase breathed, his hold on Blaine's hand growing tighter still. "How did he even manage to stay alive for this long...?"

"I'd guess that another blow from anything would have done the same damage," Bing muttered, welding the bracket back in place with an extension he'd equipped back when he was fixing Google. "Don't blame yourself... why was he running down the hall, anyway?"

"Oh, just... silly, boy stuff," Chase dismissed. He didn't know if Blaine would be comfortable with him sharing what had really happened, even if it was only to Bing. He didn't want to break the trust they'd already established, not this early...

Bing raised an eyebrow, seeming to piece together a narrative from the way Chase's expression quickly turned into one of humorous pity.

"Now either he was skating through the hall, which I doubt- or, he had a social encounter that didn't go to plan,"

Chase snorted under his breath, rolling his eyes. "Just when did you become so wise, hm?"

"Hey, I used to be an awkward robot too," Bing shrugged with a smirk. "You think I didn't run away without watching where I was going after our first conversations? I didn't know how to tell you I thought you were cute, so I panicked."

"Ah," Chase realised. "So you think he's got a crush, huh?"

There was no harm in letting Bing figure out the truth on his own, right? Chase knew that Emma, if she'd been old enough to date the last time he'd seen her, wouldn't be so forgiving. But this situation... maybe Blaine could use some advice from Bing.

He was the only other robot that was talking to him, after all.

"You know who it is, don't you?" Bing accused, sliding the panel he'd been working on back into place.

"Maybe," Chase shrugged. "I'm not breaking any unspoken promises, but you can guess if you want,"

"Well- are they already taken?" Bing asked.

"That question isn't fair, that narrows it down to like, three people," Chase huffed.

"So they  _aren't_ ," Bing deduced, shooting Chase a wink beneath his green shades. "So it's Silver, Ed, or Google... or Blank, I guess. I'm not sure if he's back with King or what, but there's only one of them that I can see Blaine having feelings for..."

Chase was tingling with anticipation, waiting for Bing to figure it out so that they could talk about it together. Personally, he thought that Blaine and Google would be cute together, but he knew that they weren't exactly ready for something so serious yet. Their personalities just... matched, really well. Google needed excitement, and Blaine needed someone to tie him down- it didn't get much simpler than that.

Bing let out a low whistle. "It's Google, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Chase admitted, wondering if there was a chance Blaine could hear what was happening. Would he be upset?

Chase found that he cared more about gathering Bing's opinion on the matter than maintaining the secret. Besides, Bing would have found out eventually...

Bing snorted, removing his hands from Blaine's skull as he turned to face Chase. "Wasn't that hard to figure out- with Google's sudden amnesia and Blaine acting all weird, anyone could see that something went down. Did he take the rejection well?"

"Wh- rejection?" Chase echoed. "How do you know he was rejected?"

"Look, Chase, I know Google better than anyone- he wouldn't sacrifice his perfect unchanging life for a random guy he just met, not even if they had chemistry. He's too stubborn for that- of course Blaine got rejected. Now, did he take it well?"

"If he took it well, do you think we'd be putting him back together right now?" Chase sighed. "I don't know what really went down, all I know is that there was a kiss and a lot of regret on Blaine's side. Maybe you could check Google's side of the story- he has to listen to you, right?"

Bing sighed, clicking the last piece of Blaine's wiring back into place and moving to turn him back on again. " _Maybe_  he'll listen to me... this conversation never happened, okay?"

"Okay," Chase agreed, and Bing proceeded to ghost his fingers over the master control panel. Immediately, Blaine's eyes flickered to life.

"Wh- oh, shit, I've never been deactivated before..." Blaine gasped, slowly catching up to speed. "That was... weird. What was wrong?"

"The impact just knocked a few things out of place, nothing major," Bing lied smoothly, resuming his seat after clicking Blaine's panels closed again. "Just... don't get banged up again any time soon, alright kid?"

Blaine breathed a sigh of relief. "Right..."

Chase chuckled, reaching around to ruffle Bing's hair fondly. "You say that like you just put a band-aid on it and kissed it better- he was  _actually_  welding things back together in there,"

Blaine's lips twitched, and he looked warmly at Bing, pulling him into a hug. "Thanks... I don't know what I would have done without you here. I've never had anything go wrong before, and Angus doesn't know the first thing about machinery..."

Bing let out a content sigh. "That's alright, kiddo, I'm just glad you're safe."

"That mother's adrenaline really kicked in," Chase teased further, enjoying the way his boyfriend's cheeks turned red.

"Oh, we're back to me being the mom again..." Bing scoffed, rolling his eyes. Blaine chuckled at his antics, and Chase let out a little hum of amusement.

"I think Momma Bing has a nice ring to it," Chase continued, reaching around to wrap Bing's arm around Blaine's shoulders as well. Bing's eyebrows raised above his sunglasses, but he didn't make to move away. Was this the moment?

"Do you think we should...?" Bing started, nodding in Blaine's direction.

Chase swallowed. "I mean... no time like the present, I guess,"

Blaine's eyebrows furrowed. "I... I don't understand, what's happening?"

"Well, you don't understand  _yet_ ," Chase corrected him with a soft, somewhat nervous smile. "But... well, try not to run for the hills, but Bing and I..."

"We've been thinking," Bing continued, giving Chase's hand a gentle squeeze. "Chase wanted to ease into it, but if you're anything like me I know that won't work. So we just wanted you to know that spending time with you in the past few days, and getting to know you- it really made us feel like we were part of something bigger,"

"I mean, it's always just been us two," Chase clarified, cheeks heating up a little at the pressure. "And we've had our own separate thing, but... after being with you I can't imagine us staying apart again. I feel like we're family- all three of us. And... yeah, all of our brothers, but... we're something special, you know?"

"You have to give him a chance to speak," Bing interceded before Chase could make another point.

Blaine blinked his confusion away, eyes flickering between both Bing and Chase as he tried to piece together what they were proposing. There were several different outcomes- why were they being so vague? He didn't want to assume one scenario and let it turn out completely different. He was  _better_  than that. "Uh... no, go on,"

"Look- we can explain why afterwards," Bing sighed. He turned, taking Chase's hand in his right, Blaine's in his left. Blaine's simulated breath hitched in his throat- that narrowed it down. It narrowed it down a  _lot_.

"Would you like to be a family with us?" Chase offered, his other hand clasped with Blaine's, holding on tightly.

"A... A family," Blaine swallowed, hardly able to believe his ears. "I... I actually really would, you mean... you mean like a parent-kid family?"

"Whatever kind of family you'd like," Chase promised, tugging the three of them into a group hug. "I'm happy as long as we all get to stay together..."

"I've always wanted a dad... or two," Blaine smiled. "Like- I know it might be weird, but I have so much to learn from you both, and... and we definitely have a family dynamic. I'm all about analysing people, and... and I feel like I'm safe and happy when you're with me. I feel included, and worthwhile, and I feel like I'm not the odd one out anymore- you know?"

Bing's grin couldn't stretch further if it tried. "Yeah, kid... I know. It's almost like we were all... made for each other. But that sounds cliche and terrible-"

"That's why it feels so good, though," Chase interceded, tears beading in his eyes. But they weren't tears of sadness at all.

"I'd love to be part of this," Blaine agreed again, his troubles with Google almost completely forgotten in wake of this proposal. "I just... I love you guys,  _thank_ you..."

"Anything for my little man," Chase tried to say- but his words got choked up halfway through, because  _that's what I used to call Trey, before..._

Bing squeezed Chase's hand again in comfort. "I'm proud of us,"

Chase snorted under his breath. "I'm proud of us too... this is gonna be great. I can't wait..."

"Neither can I, uh... Dad?" Blaine asked, testing the waters. He wasn't sure whether they'd be on board with using terms like that, but their reactions seemed to indicate that they'd love it. Chase's eyes watered again, and now he was crying- Blaine knew that the tears couldn't be helped. Chase had lost his shot at having a family, and now he was being given a second chance.

Blaine was just happy to be  _loved_.

"Dude, I'm gonna cry," Chase sniffed, wiping his eyes as Bing let out a fond little laugh, squeezing both their hands in his own.

There was a knock on the door.

"You want me to get that?" Bing asked softly, knowing that Chase was pretty overwhelmed right now- he looked positively over the moon with excitement, and at the same time, he seemed so hesitant... Bing wanted him to understand that what had happened to him in the Groundlands, what had driven him to alcoholism and suicide- it wasn't going to happen again. This family, it couldn't be torn apart by death. They'd find each other and love each other, as long as they were still remembered.

As long as they could  _believe_ in each other...

"Y-yeah, I... I love you, baby, thank you for this,"

"I'm not the one you should thank," Bing shrugged, though he kissed Chase's forehead all the same, standing from his seat and opening the door.

A red-clad superhero stood in the doorway, his hood pulled up and his hands twiddling nervously. He seemed puzzled by the scene he'd walked in on, but didn't pry- he was only here to find something good to watch, after all. It wasn't really his business why Chase looked like an emotional wreck, and despite the tears rolling down his cheeks, he actually seemed overjoyed.

"Jackie," Chase acknowledged with a nod, breathing the red flush on his cheeks away. "'Sup?"

"JJ and I are bored, we were gonna watch a movie," Jackie shrugged, coming inside at Bing's request. "But Anti doesn't keep any movies here for some reason, and none of us know how to summon them. I was wonderin' if you could, uh..."

Bing smiled warmly. "Yeah- hey, wait, first I've got to take care of some business with Google. But Blaine could set you up with something, right?"

"Right," Blaine affirmed, his core warming as he processed Bing's trust in him. Though he was a little nervous about Google... no, he was being stupid. Bing and Google were friends- of course they had things to talk about. It wasn't always about him...

"What kind of movie did you want to see?"

Jackie's lips twitched. "Well, JJ said he likes arthouse films, but I want to introduce him to some good old superhero movies. Now I'm partial to Spider-Man, of course, but uh- whatever you'd like is good,"

Blaine smirked, meeting Chase's eyes with a grin. "I have just the thing..."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Google, dude, open up," Bing asked, knocking on Google's door somewhat impatiently.

"I seem to have a lot of people after my attention today," Google remarked as he let Bing inside his room, relenting at last to the wishes of his younger counterpart. To think he'd been hoping to get things done today... "What is it you require, Bing? Have you come for advice on regulatory-?"

"I'm here about Blaine," Bing interrupted, folding his arms.

Google looked curious. "I assume you're referring to the new Bing android- yes, what about him? He left in a hurry before I could ask him about his updates,"

"You really don't remember?" Bing asked, something inside of him falling. He'd hoped this was all a charade- but Google seemed genuinely  _confused_.

He shook his head. "I am missing memory between the hours of 17:00 and 19:00, and I'm afraid that our encounter must have occurred then. I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience-"

"Bullshit, Google," Bing sighed, letting his arms fall to his sides. "Why did you remove your memory- do you remember  _that_?"

"I only know that I did it for a reason, and I have the sense to honour my own wishes," Google replied stiffly. "Now why are you really here, if this is nothing to do with you?"

"Because my  _son_  is hurting, and you need to fix it," Bing answered with a huff.

Google raised an eyebrow. "Your... son? You realise that BingSepticeye as an ego is older than-"

"I don't give a  _shit_  how old Blaine is, he needs a dad figure right now, and I'm that dad figure. And I'm here to give you the Dad Talk™."

"Saying 'trademarked' after a statement doesn't make it official," Google sighed deeply. "What are you so concerned about?"

"You might not remember it, but you and Blaine have a history," Bing started. "A  _romantic_  history. He kissed you, and you couldn't handle the idea of someone wanting to be with you, so you destroyed your own memory, right? You  _hurt_  him, Google, you need to think before you do stupid things like that,"

Google's nostrils flared. "My body is my  _own_  property, and I can do with it as I please. I don't recall hurting anybody with my decision to destroy my own troubling thoughts,"

"Troubling thoughts like 'wow, someone in this Void really likes me and I blew my chance of getting to know him'?" Bing challenged. "Google, you seem to think that you're the only one your ignorance is affecting, but that's not  _true_. When you wanted Chase and I to euthanize you because you believed it was more effective, you asked us to kill you- we couldn't  _do_  that. It doesn't matter what you think is the best option, because you're dead  _wrong_  most of the time,"

Google's eyes flashed dangerously. "You know nothing of my superior deductive thought process- and it was hardly my fault that you two were too cowardly to complete a task. Because of your insolence, I was in a state of disrepair for several weeks instead of a matter of days,"

"Because we wanted to help you  _understand_ ," Bing countered. "Because we wanted you to see that you're worth something more- and you  _still_ don't see it..."

"I respect that you live a lifestyle where you can embrace your best qualities and be the person you want to be- why can't you respect my own wishes in the same way?" Google asked, voice seeming to crack a little despite his monotone. "My best qualities are my indifference and my knowledge, not my social skills or whatever romantic qualities you're suggesting that I possess. I have stopped harassing you about being a machine, now will you  _please_  stop asking me to become human?"

Bing didn't speak. He... he was torn. He could see that Google was unhappy living alone in his cold, dark world of black and white, knowledge and power. He'd just wanted to show his older brother that friends and love were possible for androids, he wanted Google to know that he could end his suffering as easily as having a conversation every once in a while. But... but he was all about letting people have their own choice, and if Google didn't want to change... how could Bing force change onto him?

It wasn't right.  _None_  of it felt right. Not leaving him to be the same stagnant, cold machine- not forcing him to change and become the kind of outgoing expressive individual that he knew Google could never be...

Bing slumped in defeat. "You... you've got me there. I was pushing you, all this time and... why didn't you say something?"

Google's hard expression wavered. "I... I  _wanted_ to change, Bing. I wanted to have what you had- I wanted people to care for me, but I wasn't prepared to give them the care they needed in return. I lied. I  _failed_. And I've decided that... that the only way to stay true to myself is to live like I always have. I'm good at completing tasks, not maintaining relationships. I tried, but I cannot... I cannot become like you. You were special from the second you arrived. I... I'm nothing compared to that."

"Hey- that's not true!" Bing exclaimed defiantly. "You're great at what you do- I tried so hard to be default, and fit in, and follow after your example but I'm too wild and emotional for that. I... I think I know what you're going through. And I... I'm so  _sorry_ , for making you feel how I felt..."

Google's eyes snapped down to his feet, and he folded his arms coolly. "I accept your apology, and offer my own in return. I'm sorry about whatever happened between Blaine and I, I cannot remember, and... I don't  _want_ to remember. I don't want a relationship, not now. I want to be left alone so that I can avoid thinking about how different I really am from everyone else, in peace..."

"Just..." Bing sighed. "I just want to protect him. I'm his dad now- I've never been a dad before. The Internet tells me that dads beat up their daughters' boyfriends if they break their hearts, but... I'm not gonna do that to you. I don't think Blaine was too attached to you, anyway, it was just... nothing. He isn't used to your way of showing you care, not yet."

Google smiled sadly. "I hope he can forgive me, and understand that I'm uninterested,"

"I think he gets it," Bing affirmed with a nod. "But one day, you'll find someone who understands you more than you understand yourself. Whether you let yourself feel for them or not, there'll be someone out there that knows how to help you. I just... I hope you don't push them away, when they find you. Don't be stupid like me,"

Google chuckled under his breath- he'd never really had a genuine laugh before. It seemed, when he wasn't thinking about it, Google was very human indeed.

But Bing wouldn't dream of telling him that.

"I wouldn't dream of stooping to your level of intelligence," Google responded. "Now, I... I'm sure that your new family is waiting for you. Could you relay my apology?"

Bing smiled warmly. "You know what? Why don't you come and tell him yourself. He's not going to hate you or anything,"

Google seemed nervous. "Are you certain it would be a good idea?"

"I'm positive," Bing nodded. "Now get out here before I kick your ass with my dad feet,"

"I'm going to have to talk to Chase about restricting your vocabulary..." Google muttered under his breath. "If you start making father-related puns, I might just do it myself..."

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Didn't Infinity War only come out in cinemas, like, two months ago?" Jackie asked curiously.

"Three," Blaine corrected, stepping into Anti's living room and waving hello to his mute brother, Jameson. The dapper man waved back enthusiastically, though he turned his attention quickly to Jackie afterwards.

"Then... how are we going to watch it?" Jackie continued, smiling in greeting as Jameson nodded his way.

"You think I don't have access to every pirated movie on the web?" Blaine snorted, pulling up the best quality version he could find on the top torrent websites. "What kind of edgy teen do you think I am?"

Chase laughed appreciatively, clapping Blaine on the shoulder. "That's my boy,"

Blaine's core warmed even more at the praise.

 _'What are we watching?'_  Jameson signed to Jackie, though Blaine was able to interpret the motions just fine. The android had the feeling he was just an outsider at somebody else's party- but that was probably normal. JJ and Jackie knew more about each other than they did about him, after all...

"I'm gonna introduce you to the Marvel Cinematic Universe," Jackie stated proudly.

Jameson raised an eyebrow. He didn't quite know how to sign a response to that, so he shrugged as an affirmation and let Jackie sit beside him. He'd been pleasantly surprised to learn that spending time with Jackie was actually rather fun. There was never a dull moment with him- he was always ready for adventure, always excited to go out and show off his superpowers.

Until Jameson, he hadn't really had anybody to show off to. Everyone else seemed to have paired off with another- Marvin with Yan, Chase with Bing, Schneep with Doc... Jackie had seemed lonely.

And Jameson was all too willing to be the friend he needed. In fact, he felt as though they both needed a friend right now. Sometimes, Jameson's heart still ached for Wilford- most of the time, it sunk in memory of Anti. But that was only when he allowed himself to mope about it.

Having Jackie around was a great way to forget about the troubles of his life, and focus on the exhilarating feeling of being cared for. It had been so long since he'd felt like this. He'd missed it dearly...

"Do you have a favourite superhero?" Jackie asked him after a few moments, letting Chase sit on his other side as Blaine worked on hooking himself up to the television.

Jameson shrugged. He'd only heard of Spider-Man and Superman, because those two were who Jackie talked about the most. Wilford didn't much care for superheroes, but Jameson could name every actor born from the end of the 19th century onward. He signed that he was unsure, and Jackie whistled softly.

"Yeah, okay, that's valid," he sighed. "What about you, Chase?"

"Oh, it's gotta be Deadpool," Chase scoffed. "Come on- we all love the sassy shit,"

"True, true," Jackie nodded.

"I like Thanos," Blaine commented, eyes flashing yellow as the screen started to light up with a slightly grainy image. It wasn't the best quality, but it would definitely do.

"Thanos isn't a superhero, he's a- shit, wait, spoilers," Jackie censored himself. "Why the hell do you like  _Thanos_ of all people?"

Blaine shrugged. "Meme material, mainly- now be quiet, you'll miss it,"

"Miss what?"

Four heads turned to see Necro and President walk into the room, holding hands as they made their way to Anti's unoccupied loveseat. President had a few hickeys poking out from under his necktie, and Necro's lips were red and swollen- Chase couldn't help but laugh aloud at the sight.

"Oh, be quiet, it wasn't us," President muttered, rolling his eyes beneath his bandages.

"We're just feeling... the effects," Necro agreed, though he seemed to be quite satisfied all the same.

"Right," Jackie said sarcastically. "Whatever- just don't start making out in the middle of a death scene,"

Jameson's eyes widened.  _'There are death scenes?'_

Jackie sighed, patting Jameson's back comfortingly. "You have a lot to learn, my friend..."

Chase leaned over to the fusions, hardly as discretely as he thought he was being. "Hey- which of you was it?"

Necro raised an eyebrow. Chase didn't know that Robbie and Host were sexually active, but then... he must have had some suspicion if he was bothering to ask. It wasn't as though Necro thought it should be kept a secret, not anymore. But he felt he couldn't just bring it up out of the blue, when Robbie had nothing to do with what really happened at all. "Marvin and... Yan. It feels strange... to be myself again... so soon afterwards,"

"The President can still feel the sting," President muttered distastefully, though his cheeks were flushed as if he'd enjoyed it. "The President wonders why Yandereplier insists on being the receiver each and every time..."

"Ah- I take it you've never bottomed then," Chase concluded.

President curled his lip in distaste, fixing Chase with a menacing stare. "The President warns Chase that The Host's sexual life does not concern him in any way, and reminds him that-  _ngh!_ "

President's hands clutched at the sides of his head, blood trickling from beneath his bandages as he bit his lip to keep from groaning aloud. Necro's eyes widened, and he reached out, placing his hand on President's knee. Not  _again_ \- his inner Robbie recognised what was happening immediately. It was the same thing that had happened to Host earlier- he'd never even thought to  _consider_ that President might experience something similar...

"Presi... it's okay," Necro muttered softly, but President couldn't hear him. President couldn't hear him, at  _all_.

_"Are you doing alright? Would you like me to stop?"_

_"No, don't stop, I... It feels strange, but I like it."_

_"Do you trust me to keep going?"_

_A hand wrapped around his own, a fluid thinner than blood leaking from his eyes as he felt the warmth of his lover creeping around him, encompassing him in a familiar dark room. The sheets were tangled in his fist, between his toes, and his palms were starting to burn from how long he'd been on his hands and knees..._

_"Yes,_ God _yes... I love you,"_

_A familiar, eloquent chuckle of a laugh, echoing in his ears..._

_"I love you too,"_

Necro frowned further- President wasn't responding to him at all. Was he in a trance? A daze? A day terror, like the one Host had succumbed to just a couple of hours earlier?

"Presi...? Can you hear... me?"

_"Can you hear me, Love?"_

_"Of course... I can't get to sleep. I tried reading, and I tried listening to some old records but... I'm just too agitated to rest. It's unlucky- hell, even Dark is peaceful tonight..."_

_"I'm sorry... I'm here for you, Darling. I'll lie with you until you drift off..."_

_"You really are too good to me..."_

"Babe- babe, please... what's wrong?" Necro asked, shaking President's arm in effort to rouse him. Still, his lover stared on- the curve of his lips was bitter as he glared at the nothingness ahead of him, watching his memories play out with a sense of grim foreboding looming over him...

_"What's wrong with me?!"_

_"Nothing's wrong, Author, nothing at all- you're going to be okay, I'm going to stay here with you-"_

_"I'm bleeding!"_

_"I'm sure it's going to be fine, I- I'm looking through the journals now for any mention... Love, please, I-"_

_"Edward, help me, I c-can't- I can't see your face... where are you?"_

_"Author? Author, can you hear me?"_

President became aware of his own breathing, the frantic rise and fall of his chest as the blood dripped down his cheeks and off his chin. Someone's hand was on his arm- and for a moment, he didn't recognise them. Where was he?  _Who_  was he?

"Dude, are you alright? Do you want me to get the doctors?"

"Wh-who..." President started, the realisation slowly sinking back into him. Those thoughts, those images... they weren't his own. They were alien to him- and the pain, the hurt, the emotions welling in his chest... they didn't belong to him.

He was perfect. He was the solution to their problems, and he didn't have faults like  _this_. He loved Necro, and only Necro- not whoever this 'Edward' was...

"I... The President is... sorry for causing such a disturbance. He does not know what came over him..."

"Are you... okay?" Necro asked, eyes shining with tears. That sweet, innocent face... President brushed his purple/green locks aside, leaning in to give him a long, lingering kiss. He didn't want to break away. He didn't really know what he'd seen, flickering through his mind, he didn't know who he'd really been holding so close...

All he knew was that Necro was here with him, and he was all President needed. He loved Necro, with all his heart- and Necro loved him in return. Those marks down his neck, those reddened lips... he'd mark Necro up just like Yan had been marked by Marvin,  _better_  than Yan could hope for alone. He was  _better_ \- he was stable like this.

He needed to stop thinking. He needed to stop remembering who he used to  _be_...

"Uhm... guys," Chase coughed when the kiss didn't end, and continued growing deeper. He sighed, abandoning his hope- those two clearly had their own shit to work through. He was here for Blaine- and Blaine seemed to be coping just fine now that he'd spoken to someone about his encounter with Google.

Maybe, a good movie night was all they needed to get past this. There was something so familiar about sitting back, watching a grainy copy of a new release with a bag of chips and a few friends. A night like this could fix anything...

"Oh- for the love of God, you two, get a room," Jackie groaned, folding his arms. "I didn't come here to watch ye fook on the couch, I came to see why people freaked out so much about this damn thing in April..."

Jameson tapped Jackie's thigh softly, seeking to ground him a little. He'd picked up that the super had a tendency to explode under pressure- but then, admittedly, most of the Septiceyes had that tendency. He was probably just jealous, that was all... Jameson certainly knew the feeling.

Jackie let himself remain seated, sighing as he found himself leaning into Jameson's side. It was hardly due to his own desires- Chase was manspreading like the straightest white male on Earth at the other end of the couch, but Jackie knew that Jameson didn't mind the invasion of space. He was always up for affection, always quick to give out hugs and pats of understanding.

Jameson smiled warmly, letting his head rest on Jackie's shoulder.

Necro was a little torn- he wanted to be there for President, he wanted to help his lover through whatever he was feeling- but President wasn't telling him what was wrong. His only goal seemed to be to get closer to Necro, to feel him on every inch of his skin, if the way his arms were wrapped around Necro's waist was any indication. They were still kissing- it was the longest, most passionate embrace they'd ever shared together.

It was almost as if President was scared that this was the last time he'd be here to hold Necro so close.

Necro forced their lips to part, licking at them softly as he stared into President's blood-ridden eyes. Scared, and confused, and lustful... it wasn't a combination Necro had seen on anyone before.

"What just... happened?" Necro asked, concern ringing through in his tone. "I'm... worried about you,"

"I am fine," President promised, leaning in to press another kiss to Necro's spent lips. "The President had a troubling day terror, and momentarily forgot who he was. It was nothing, he promises,"

Necro made a muffled noise of submission, relenting to the embrace as he felt the knot in his abdomen deepening with every moment he spent in President's arms... So soon after their earlier stint in the shower, were they even ready for this?

President certainly seemed to think so.

"Come away with me," President urged softly, taking Necro's hands in his own and nodding towards the stairs. "We aren't wanted down here... The President has another idea of how to spend his time with Necromancer,"

"Remember... the doctors' warning," Necro reminded, though he found himself excited by President's sheer willingness to do this. They may not have been so sure at first, but after spending so much time together... what, truly, was the harm?

"The President is not growing dependent on anybody," President murmured defiantly, shaking his head to clear Necro's concerns. "The President merely feels as though they are missing an opportunity... He will, of course, understand if Necromancer does not want to continue,"

Necro sighed softly. He knew he shouldn't say yes to this- he knew that Marvin and Robbie probably wouldn't want it. But then... if they didn't want this as much as President did, wouldn't Necro himself be much more conflicted? The fact that there was nothing stopping him from moving forward, capturing President's lips in his own again, the fabric between them suddenly feeling so  _restricting_...

It had to mean that this was okay, right?

"Okay, you two need to  _actually_  get a room," Chase intervened before Jackie could implode with frustration. "Go on- some people here have never seen a dick before, they'd like to keep their virgin eyes,"

"Hey!" Jackie huffed indignantly, taking personal offence as the only known virgin present. He wasn't sure about Blaine, but at the same time, he didn't really care- the statement was obviously directed his way. "I've seen  _plenty_ dicks, thank you very much,"

"Yeah, your own doesn't count," Chase snorted. "And I'd be being a lousy parent if I let you two fuck in front of my kid,"

Blaine gave Chase a wry smile. "Thanks... Dad. But you can't keep me off the porn sites, I'm older than you,"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Chase sighed, wondering if he needed to implement any rules. He decided that they'd cross that bridge when they came to it- adopting a search engine twice your own age was turning out to be a lot different to raising children straight from the womb. It would take some getting used to, but Chase was determined to get this right.

He had a family- a new, fresh start. And  _damned_  if he was going to fuck it up like the last time.

"Gross- let's just watch the movie, seriously," Jackie sighed, turning away as the two fusions walked out of the room to do God knows what...

_'Is it gross because you haven't experienced it, or gross because you genuinely find it a disgusting topic?'_

Jameson blinked innocently at Jackie, who seemed to be turning almost as red as his suit.

"Oh, shut up," Jackie huffed, turning his attention back to the pirated copy of Infinity War that they were watching on Anti's TV. "You know the answer to that,"

Jameson smiled in reassurance, giving Jackie a gentle pat on the forearm as the trailers ended and the movie finally began.

_'You will find the right person eventually,'_

Jackie let out an audible, half-strangled sigh. Jameson was sweet, but as evidenced by just how long he'd stayed with Warfstache, he was also very naive. Some people, Jackie included, just didn't fit in with the crowd around here. He was too... righteous. He cared too much about morals and ethics to be involved with most of the people he met.

But he didn't want Jameson to think he wasn't being helpful- really, he was the closest friend Jackie had had in... well, ever.

He bit his lip softly. "Y-yeah, JJ... I guess I will,"

**~0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Fuck," Anti groaned to himself, holding his head in his hands. "Fucking  _shit_ \- she's going into labor?!"

"Not quite yet," Doc corrected, noting how worried Anti seemed to be at the news. Blaze was sitting alongside him in the room, a look of puzzled bemusement on his face.

"But what's the  _difference_?" Anti wheezed. "I need to see her- I need to tell her what-"

"I already told him- _her_ , about your glitch," Doc interceded, wincing when Anti's jaw fell open.

"You... but what did she  _say_? I just- I wanted her to look at me and  _know_  I didn't mean it, a-and-"

"She was apologetic," Doc explained. "She seemed upset at the thought that she might have accidentally taken advantage of you in your past together. She knows that the child isn't biologically yours, and she knows that what happened between you and Wiish was entirely non-consensual,"

Anti buried his face in his hands. "I just need to see her... I need to tell her I'm sorry, and I need to ask her for advice, and... and Chase wanted me to give her a message about dealing with back pain, a-and..."

"I'm afraid it is simply too dangerous to allow her to call you," Doc muttered regretfully. "Dark is at her weakest point as of right now- she could deliver this child at any moment, and she doesn't need to exert herself before that happens. Might I remind you that if Dark dies, we cannot guarantee the safety of the child?"

"You don't need to remind me, I think about it every second of every day!" Anti snapped, his form starting to waver. "But she sent me a message, and she wanted to talk to me, and  _you_ can't just-"

"I can and I am," Doc sighed, holding up his hand. "I'm not so certain that the two of you are fit to raise a child, given your lack of concern for her health. You need to put your own wants and desires aside for her sake- the situation is dangerous enough as it is without adding to Dark's strain."

Blaze's eyes narrowed as Anti's face fell, seeming to take those words to heart. He fixed Doc with a glare. "Hey, lay off- he's doing the best he can,"

Doc nodded grimly, brushing his hair back as he scrolled idly through the document he shared with Amy. "I am aware of that, but his best is evidently not good enough. I understand that you're stressed, Anti, but-"

"I'd never hurt her!" Anti shouted, the house shaking around him as the tears started to stream down his face. " _Never_! I wouldn't suggest calling her if I didn't think she could handle it- how could you think I'd willingly put her in harm's way?!"

Doc tensed, holding onto the edge of his desk to keep himself stable. "Anti-"

"You don't understand  _anything_!" Anti hissed.

Blaze swallowed, getting to his feet and placing a hand on Anti's shoulder. "Anti, hey, look... is this about what happened with Pamic? Because you know it's a load of crap, none of it's true-"

"I know that it isn't true," Anti scowled, though his tears just kept coming. "I know! Stop trying to tell me things I already-!"

"VILL YOU CEASE ZAT SHOUTING?!"

The door to the doctors' bedroom opened, and a murderous looking Schneep stepped out, wearing nothing but a hastily-donned bathrobe. Doc swallowed his nerves as he sighed, approaching his fiance carefully- he knew he should have spoken to Anti in his own room...

"Love, I'm so sorry-"

"Oho- but  _you_ are not ze vone I am berating," Schneep dismissed. " _Anti_ \- komm hier. Es ist clear zat you are troubled, but you are disrupting ze peace. Get up off deine sorry  _ass_ und follow mich!"

Blaze raised an eyebrow as Anti reluctantly left the room, exchanging a glance with Doc. "Uh... so, your boyfriend's kinda intense, huh?"

Doc sighed, shaking his head. "Yes, and he's soon to be my husband... I'd hoped he would be able to rest until morning. Today has been rather... stressful, for everyone. Who is this 'Pamic', and why did it upset Anti so much to hear about them?"

Blaze groaned in remembrance. "Pamic is... well, an  _acquaintance_ of Daniel's. We ran into her at our place, she didn't answer any questions for us, but she didn't know where he was either. She just...  _knows_ everyone's deepest fears, and she won't hesitate to manipulate them- and Anti is still kinda... worked up about it."

"What was his fear?" Doc asked, already having some idea, just judging by the nature of Anti's stressed display...

"He's afraid of hurting Dark," Blaze answered simply. "Or... well, I  _assumed_ it was Dark. They referred to her as Anti's 'girlfriend', and he told me it was a long story when I got confused about it,"

Doc sighed. "Celine... of  _course_. And when I told him he was endangering them, he must have relapsed..."

"Who's Celine?" Blaze asked curiously. "I mean... Anti hasn't told me much about his relationship with Dark, we only really got around to catching up a few hours ago... Is that Dark's real name?"

"In a manner of speaking," Doc shrugged. "Dark is not a conventional ego- he is made up of two souls and a demon, and the souls are named Damien and Celine. They were siblings, before they were put into that body- and Celine's ex-husband was supposedly abusive. That, unfortunately, is all that I know,"

Blaze blinked his confusion away. "So... Anti has a boyfriend  _and_  a girlfriend, and they share the same body?"

"That's my take on the matter, yes," Doc agreed. "Though I'm certain he'd have a better explanation ready for you, if you asked. But... why would he be afraid of hurting her?"

Blaze shrugged. "It beats me. But he seemed really cut about it... I think deep down, he believes that he's capable of hurting her. Maybe it's something to do with the ex-husband..."

Schneep slammed the door closed, fixing Anti with a steely glare. The room smelled musty and used, and Anti had the feeling he could piece together what had happened earlier- but he didn't say anything.

He was too worried about Dark, and the fact that his lover was so close to giving birth, to be at all concerned with the doctors' sex life.

"Snap out of it- ach, you absolute dummkopf, du bist even louder zhan zhose fusions..."

"Look, I'm sorry I woke you up or whatever, but my  _pregnant girlfriend_  is all alone on another plane of fucking existence, and I need to see her!" Anti all but shouted.

"Calm yourself!" Schneep chided. "Du  _willst_ see Dark again- but mein Verlobter is right to keep you from speaking vith ihr. You are not comprehending ze dangers, Anti, du must look beneath ze fear to find your common sense,"

"Dark's called me twice this week, and she's fine," Anti argued, folding his arms. "She's even keeping a flower alive for me in my room- she isn't in  _danger_. Why won't you let me talk to her? Are you going to tell me that  _I'm_ a danger to them, now?!"

" _You_ are only a danger to yourself," Schneep muttered darkly. "Ve do not know vhat Dark vill be like, zis close to giving birth. Sie could become veak, und Dark does not take ihr own health into account like ze rest of us do. You are not ze concern- du bist simply an enabler,"

"You think she's going to listen to your  _stupid_  advice? You don't  _know_  her like I do,  _none_  of you do! Only Wilford and I know what Dark is really like, and I'm the only one of us that she's even  _talking_  to. I know she'll try to call me, she won't  _care_ how badly it could hurt her. You're only making it  _more_ dangerous by keeping me away!"

"Ve are not keeping you away!" Schneep denied, startling Anti into a brief, stunned silence. "Ve are saying zat you need to stop vith zis mirror calling- you kann talk to ihr over ze phone, or you could possess Jack to see Dark in person. But sie ist not to use her abilities otherwise- do I make myself clear?"

"Phones don't work with Dark around, not in the Groundlands," Anti muttered, slumping his shoulders in defeat. "And I don't even know when Jack's seeing him next, h-how can I..."

Schneep sighed, placing a comforting hand on Anti's shoulder. "Jack ist travelling to Mark's Haus now, mein Bruder. Though it feels as though es ist night hier, it is closer to eight in ze Morgen for zhem. Feel free to tag along, und see ihr again in person,"

Anti's eyes widened. "You mean... okay, I'm going, just- take care of the place for me?"

"Anti, vait-!"

Schneep cut himself off with a groan. The glitch was already gone- before the walls could so much as flicker, he found himself sharing the strain with his fiance again. He felt... much too tired for shenanigans like this. But at the same time, he knew that his lover deserved a rest more than he did. Really, they should both be sleeping at this hour.

He couldn't wait until Dark was back here, keeping the manor up and running so that Schneep could focus on getting his work done, while still having some time to spend with his fiance.

This, what was happening in this house, it... it was much too similar to what had happened back in May for his liking. He felt stressed, and irritable, and the only solace was that none of the other egos seemed to be having problems this time.

It was only Anti, and the fusions (and if the sounds he'd been hearing from their room were any indication, they were getting along just fine), and a whole baby that was due to be delivered any day now...

Schneep sighed to himself. It had been a long few weeks, and there would evidently be many more long weeks to come...

**~Groundlands~**

"Where is she?" Anti demanded as soon as he walked through the door, glaring at Mark as he passed the man.

Anti had caught Jack while he was in the car with someone named Robin- Anti had never heard of him, but he caught on rather quickly to the fact that Robin and his original were close friends. He hadn't been able to slip by undetected, after all- they must have known each other well. He'd blame his lack of subtlety on his nerves- though he had the feeling Robin had known who he was from the second he'd overtaken Jack's body.

 _"That you, Anti?"_  Robin had asked him nonchalantly.

Anti, of course, hadn't known what to say- had Jack told him about who Anti really was? How else would he know? Was it just an inside joke they shared?

But no- Robin had been entirely serious. He'd smirked at Anti's dumbfounded expression, proceeding to explain why he'd jumped to that conclusion in the first place.

_"Relax, he didn't tell me anything. He's a bad liar, I knew there was no way he edited that video and forgot all of the effects afterwards. I've known about you for as long as he has,"_

It turned out that even though Jack wasn't the brightest of humans, he certainly kept some intelligent company.

Anti had spilled everything.

The baby, the relationship he had with Dark, the stress of being so close to becoming a parent... and Robin had listened. Anti was certain he hadn't understood most of it, but... just venting to someone had done him wonders. He could almost believe he was calm again.

Almost...

"Well?!" He continued impatiently, breaking out of his memories to fold his arms, staring intently at Mark. "I want to see my girlfriend and my child,  _preferably_ before she's out of the womb,"

"Uh... sure thing, Anti, um... what happened to Seán?" Mark questioned, gesturing upstairs as he glanced sideways at Robin.

Robin simply shrugged. "I don't know, he just... got weird all of a sudden, and I figured now would be as best of a time as any to admit that I've known about Anti all along. They have a  _kid_ together- Dark and Anti, I mean?"

"Yeah, it's a long story," Mark sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I did  _not_ expect to have him over today... You uh... you want some coffee, or anything? Amy's just making some now, and... well, those two might be a while up there,"

"Coffee sounds great, thanks," Robin smiled, still a little giddy from being right about his friend's alter ego. What was the story behind that? Had he always been there- did they ever communicate? He was burning with questions that he couldn't wait to ask when Seán returned. 

"Wow... I knew something was up with Seán this week, I just never figured it was... you know, an  _actual_ child. How's he taking it?"

"He hasn't told me anything," Mark admitted, ushering his guest to the kitchen and greeting Amy with a peck on the cheek. "He's spent most of his time here being possessed, and... you know, so have I, when I haven't been recording. It's been a hectic few weeks here, if you know what I mean..."

Amy slid a mug of coffee each over to the pair of them, sitting down at the table and giving Henry a little pet as he came over, clearly nervous about the newcomers. "The baby's due any day now, and when that's done I'm sure they'll all go back to the Void. We'll have our lives back again before we know it,"

Mark let out a winded sigh, stretching a little in place. He hadn't managed to sleep a wink, knowing that Dark was so close to going into labour... "If I get hijacked by  _one_  more doctor, I swear..."

"Hey, you still have the wedding to look forward to," Amy reminded, with a  teasing smirk on her face. "And hey... since Robin knows about this whole mess now, why don't we extend an invite his way?"

"Wedding?" Robin echoed, brows furrowing in confusion. "Wait-  _who's_ getting married?"

"Me," Mark shrugged nonchalantly, ignoring Robin's look of surprise. "Well, not exactly- one of my egos, Dr. Iplier, he's getting married to Dr. Schneeplestein in about a week and a half,"

"... Ah," Robin sounded, starting to piece it all together. "So Dark and Anti aren't the only ones that are real, and... together,"

Were they  _all_ real? If Anti and Dark, and the doctors of all people existed- surely they wouldn't be the only ones. Now, Robin had even more questions- this wasn't the plan for today at all. But it wasn't every day you learn that the alter egos you helped create were alive and kicking, somewhere in his mind...

"Oh, from what I hear, everyone's fucked everyone else at some point," Mark huffed, rolling his eyes. "Y'know, I never expected Wilford to turn into an  _actual_ sex machine when I wrote him as a sex machine..."

"He was around before you even knew he existed, honey," Amy corrected. "I'm going to go up there and check on them, they need to be careful now that the baby could come any second..."

"Thank you for the coffee, Amy!" Robin called, turning to Mark with a curious look. "So the doctors... they're going to possess your bodies?"

Amy smiled to herself as she continued walking up the stairs, Henry following her closely as she knocked gently on Dark's bedroom door. It was going to be hard to think of this as the guest room after this was all over. She'd gotten used to having the demon around, and she knew that Mark felt the same way.

"Hey- you two alright in here?" She called softly, peeking through the crack. She didn't know what she'd been expecting to find, but she felt her heart warm a little at the scene she was witnessing.

They were just... hugging. Anti's hands were on Dark's waist, and Dark's arms were thrown over Anti's shoulders, and the size of Dark's bump was restricting them just a little more than they'd have liked. Dark seemed happy- a smile playing at the edge of her lips as she muttered something to Anti, possibly the news of her vision.

When Amy had heard that Dark was going to live, she'd felt so relieved... she knew that Anti must be feeling something even stronger. It seemed that even though they'd only had Dark here for a matter of days, she'd made a lasting impression. It would have been devastating to know she wasn't going to live, especially so soon after Miranda...

She watched with a smile as Anti practically jumped in place, burying his face in the crook of Dark's neck as they swayed softly on the spot. He was crying- and the green glow of his eyes was reflecting off the droplets, giving Dark just a hint of colour on those pale grey cheeks.

"That's  _excellent_!" Anti exclaimed, pulling Dark in for an even tighter hug. "I knew it... I knew you'd make it, Darky, you always do..."

"That, it seems, is correct..." Dark breathed, pushing Anti a little further away from her. "Just- careful, Darling, my lungs aren't quite what they used to be..."

"Oh- of course, right," Anti shook his head, stepping back, but keeping his hands wrapped warmly around Dark's own. "I can't wait to meet her,"

"She cannot wait to meet you, either," Dark smiled, pressing her hand to her bump again, rubbing a little as if she was comforting the child. "She is excited to get to know you as well as she knows me..."

"The feeling is mutual," Anti chuckled, leaning forward to press a kiss to Dark's forehead. "Everything's looking up for us, Darky... in a few days, we're gonna be parents..."

Dark hummed in amusement, and let Anti pull her in for a sweet, lingering kiss on the lips. Amy was unable to keep her humoured sigh in, and they turned to her with slight shock, startled.

"Sorry," Amy shrugged, unable to stop smiling. "You two were being so sweet..."

"I am glad you find our relationship stimulating," Dark smiled in her direction, a little breathless from the scare. "Good morning, Amy- how did you sleep?"

"I... didn't, not really," Amy admitted softly. "I did all of the wedding shopping online, seeing as we weren't going out today, and our clothes should get here by the weekend. I couldn't sleep, not with this much excitement..."

Dark frowned softly. "Dear, Amy, no... you shouldn't sacrifice your own health for mine, especially when I am  _fine_ -"

"Dark... okay, let me just tell it to you straight," Amy sighed. "It's normal to worry about pregnancies, when so many things could go wrong. When you could wake up at two in the morning to your water breaking, or you could go into labour at the shopping mall- in regular women, there isn't so much worrying involved. But you  _aren't_  a regular woman."

"She's right, you know," Anti agreed, snaking an arm around Dark's middle.

Amy nodded. "See- you're a first time mother,  _and_  your body is well past the age range you should be having children in,  _and_  you had a stroke last week, and on top of  _that_  you also have cancer."

"And yet, remarkably, I show no ill effects," Dark huffed.

"You just told me your back hurts," Anti countered teasingly, squeezing Dark's hand a little tighter subconsciously.

Dark rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dear, but back pain is normal at this stage..."

"Doc already tried, it's no use," Amy advised, shooting Anti an apologetic look. Anti reluctantly nodded, biting his lip as he sighed, gazing into Dark's eyes knowingly.

"I don't see why you two are so concerned about my wellbeing." Dark frowned, raising an eyebrow at Anti's expression. "Especially now that I appear to have healed,"

"Because you had  _one_ vision and now you think you're indestructible," Amy answered without hesitation. "You shouldn't get too cocky about this- it's your child's life, Dark. It's not something you can just  _fix_ if it falls apart,"

"I am doing nothing to hurt her," Dark sighed, shaking her head. "I've not become  _cocky_ \- I simply like to believe that I know my own strength,"

"I'm sure you do," Anti soothed, squeezing Dark's hand again softly. "But I'm also sure that you deserve some rest, and I don't want to see you up and moving about today. Do you want me to stay-?"

"Uh- actually," Amy interceded, a sigh emanating from between her lips. "We... well, Mark and Seán need to talk today. Alone. Without... you guys. You understand, right?"

Anti looked more than a little crestfallen, but he seemed to understand. "I... If those fookin' doctors would let you call me, this would all be fine, but..."

Dark frowned, cupping Anti's cheek in concern. "They cannot control me, Anti. If you leave this body and venture back to your room, I can call you when I please. We could continue this conversation there, if you would be so obliged...?"

Anti smiled warmly, pecking Dark on the cheek one more time before disentangling their hands. "Okay," he sighed. "I'll be waiting..."

"I'll see you soon, Darling," Dark promised, blinking softly as Anti's eyes shifted from green to blue again.

Seán let out a deep sigh, flinching away from Dark's hold as discretely as he could manage. "Right... well, good luck with that, then..."

Dark seemed puzzled. "I... are you avoiding me, Seán?"

"Robin's downstairs, isn't he?" Seán asked Amy, ignoring Dark as he strode over to the door. "I need to tell him about Anti, and explain everything that-"

"He's down there with Mark, they're waiting for us," Amy agreed. "But uh... hey, ignoring Dark isn't going to end well-"

"I'll see you down there," Seán muttered apologetically, brushing past her on his way out.

Dark met Amy's eyes, guilt shining through them. "Do you think this is because he... because of my relationship with Anti?"

Amy knew that it was. But at the same time, she wasn't going to tell a pregnant woman that her relationship was causing someone she trusted to run from her. Seán just needed... time, that was all. Amy couldn't imagine that giving up your body like that was as easy to cope with as it sounded like, after all...

"I'll talk to him," Amy promised. "Just... try to get some rest, alright? Don't let Anti keep you up for too long,"

Dark sighed solemnly in response, Seán's departure still clearly on his mind. "I... alright. Thank you, Amy, I'll do just that..."

**~Void~**

"Oi, what are we watchin'?"

Angus rested his elbows on the back of the sofa, glancing at the television screen as a handful of bizarrely-dressed superheroes engaged in some sort of fight scene. He'd never been into the superhero shtick- he didn't really watch television at all, mostly sticking to nature documentaries and Married at First Sight when he found himself in front of a screen. BingSepticeye- Blaine, now, was sitting by the screen, waving softly in his direction.

"Hmm? Oh, uh... hey Angus, we're watching Infinity War," Chase yawned, stretching out as he awoke from his daze. "Man... I haven't slept in days,"

"Clearly, those two haven't either," Blaine commented, gesturing to Jackie and Jameson. The mute had fallen asleep on Jackie's shoulder, his lips parted slightly as he let out a series of silent snores. Jackie himself didn't look much better- he was obviously tired, but he was keeping his eyes on the screen, subconsciously stroking his red-clad fingers over Jameson's forearm. The repetitive motion seemed to be the only thing keeping him awake...

"'M a superhero... I can't sleep..." Jackie yawned, seeming to sink even further into his seat with every passing second. "I've got to... be vigilant..."

"Yeah, you're  _so_  vigilant right now," Chase snorted. "Why don't you have a rest, Jackie? The death of your idol can't be easy to deal with,"

Jackie huffed softly, turning up his nose at his brother. "Shh... I knew what would happen, but it still made me sad... 'n you're gonna wake JJ,"

"Trust me when I say that JJ sleeps like a rock," Chase shook his head fondly. "But you can lie there with him a little more if you want, I'm not stopping you. He's a good cuddler,"

Jackie sighed, letting his shoulders relax as he embraced the anchor of Jameson's extra weight on his side. "He certainly is..."

Chase let out a little snort at that- how did Jackie not see it? This was the most comfortable he'd been around anyone since Chase had known him. In fact, Chase couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Jackie let his guard down enough to enjoy someone's company.

Perhaps Jameson was simply a good cuddler, and that was the end of it. But Chase felt he'd spent enough time having crushes to recognise one when he saw it. It was fresh, and early- but it was there. Those two, they just had... they had  _something_ drawing them together.

And watching them realise it, and come to terms with it... oh, Chase couldn't wait to witness that.

"What's so funny?" Jackie yawned, stretching out his back as he shrugged away his hood, already half-asleep.

"Oh, you'll see it one day," Chase laughed under his breath, shaking his head. "Maybe it's a Septiceye thing... we're all clueless idiots, aren't we?"

"I guess the fact I don't know what you're talkin' about just proves it," Jackie sighed in defeat. "Anyway- what's up, Angus? You enjoyin' your stay?"

"Well, that's why I'm here," Angus shrugged, gesturing to Blaine. "I'm here to say goodbye,"

The word struck Blaine's core,  _hard_. Goodbye? He'd known it was coming, he'd known that Angus' lifestyle wouldn't accommodate for the changes Blaine wanted to embrace in his own life. But even though this interaction had been running through his mind for days now, he'd never anticipated that it would hurt this much when it finally came to pass.

"Goodbye...?" He repeated softly, shaking his head as he got to his feet. The television's grainy credits screen faded into nothingness. "I... I mean, of course, goodbye, but..."

Angus let out a small laugh, striding over to Blaine and encompassing him in a bear hug. Blaine's joints wouldn't let him squeeze any harder as he buried his head in Angus' shoulder, trying not to tear up.

"I know you want to stay here, Bing, it's written all over ya," Angus sighed fondly. "And who am I to stop you? This isn't goodbye forever, ya great galah, I can still call when I miss you. I just can't stay in one place for too long, it's not ah... stimulating, yeah?"

"Yeah," Blaine sniffed, not wanting to let go just yet. "It's just... to think that it's been four whole years we've been together, and now we're parting ways. It's gonna be... a lot to get used to,"

Angus smiled sadly, giving Blaine one last squeeze around the middle. "I'll miss you too, mate..."

"Hey- wait," Chase interceded, giving Blaine a pointed look. "I mean- you don't have to go right now, right? We're having a bachelor's night for Schneep in a few days, and we could use some wild spirits around here. God knows it's never fun without a few single people in the mix..."

Angus raised an eyebrow. "A stag's night? Well fuck, why didn't you say so- of course I've gotta stay for that,"

Blaine's eyes lit up, a smile breaking across his face. "You- really? Oh,  _hell_ yes- you can meet my dad, and my... my  _other_ dad, and the other Ipliers-"

"Whoa, calm down there tiger," Chase chuckled. "For now, I think it's bedtime,"

"But Daaaaad," Blaine whined teasingly, a smirk playing on his lips.

Chase held his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, it's  _my_  bedtime, and the lovebirds over there are already halfway through their first REM cycle, so we should probably give them space,"

"Lovebirds?"

Bing entered the room quietly, raising an eyebrow at Chase's wording. Evidently, he'd only just arrived at the scene- he looked at the two egos on the sofa, cocking his head to the side. "What, those two?"

"Who else?" Chase snorted, watching as Jackie's head lolled to one side, slumping peacefully against Jameson's body. Chase remembered sitting back with Bing and watching Host and Robbie fall in love in a similar way- it got to the point where nobody was surprised to see the pair lounging together, or reading together, or whispering to each other when they thought nobody was watching.

But then... Chase had always gotten the feeling that Host and Robbie knew exactly what they were doing, even then. He just couldn't see Jackie or JJ having the smarts to pull that kind of fuckery off- not that they weren't smart, they just... weren't conniving little shits.

Dammit. He  _knew_  something was going on with Host and Robbie. He just didn't know what it was...

"Hmm... yeah, I can see it," Bing agreed, smiling at Chase's brothers as they slept on. "Think they know?"

"No, not yet," Blaine answered, surprising both Chase and Bing with his input. Gossiping about the couples around here had always been  _their_  thing... well, mainly because everyone else was too busy having a life to join in. But now- now, they had a new person to talk to... the possibilities were endless. 

"Neither of them seem to be concerned with how close they're getting, and from what I've picked up about their pasts, they're both fairly anti-romance right now. They'd be displaying more signs of anxiety if they were aware of their attraction,"

"Well, they've got a big storm coming," Chase smirked. 

"How do you know it's not just a passing bout of infatuation, huh?" Bing asked, snaking his arms around Chase's waist and leaning his head on Chase's shoulder. "It could just be the nerves of actually making a friend that Jackie's giving off, it doesn't mean he wants to get into those dapper pants,"

"It could be," Chase shrugged. "I'm no love guru, you know that. But I do know that whether or not it becomes anything more, they have chemistry. I just want what's best for them,"

"I mean, maybe Jackie's ready for a relationship but JJ definitely isn't," Bing continued. "It's been... what, two weeks since he broke up with Wilford?"

"Hey, I met Stacy two  _nights_ after my boyfriend dumped me," Chase countered with a scoff. "And the only reason I waited that long was because I couldn't get out of bed for thirty-odd hours... asshole. Cheated on me with a fuckin' crackhead in the parking lot of a Denny's..."

There was a soft, slightly uncomfortable cough from the hallway. Bing smiled as he stood aside, beckoning Google into view, giving Chase a meaningful look.

Blaine immediately looked as though he wanted to shrink out of sight.

"Okay, so I've brought a friend who wants to  _meet_  you and  _understand_  you," Bing stated, giving Google an encouraging shove in Blaine's direction. "Seems fitting with all this talk of hasty romantic getaways... a Denny's parking lot,  _really_?"

Chase shrugged. "Look, I wasn't dating Malcolm for his originality, he was packin' a  _nice_ -"

Google coughed again, interrupting Chase a second time. "Please, Chase, I could care less about your shenanigans... and Bing, you said that you wouldn't joke about it..."

Bing shrugged his shoulders, but Chase decided to speak up first.

"Hey- okay, him being my ex doesn't make it  _my_  shenanigans. Also, that joke wasn't aimed at you, look at the couch,"

Google's eyes flickered to the two Septiceyes that were snuggled up together on Anti's couch. Well, they certainly seemed peaceful... if only Google's core would follow their example. He was... well, nervous would be the best description to apply to his behaviours. It would be so much easier to run away, and forget this all happened, but... but Bing was right.

You can only erase so much memory before you start to lose who you are. And Google didn't feel like losing what little identity he'd made for himself, not quite yet.

"Say no more," Google sighed, turning away from the sofa. "But I would like to address you, Blaine. I... I'm terribly sorry that I hurt you earlier. I have a... tendency to ignore the implications of my actions, in periods of high tension..."

Blaine let out a shudder of a breath, seeming to have calmed down a lot now that he was sure Google was on the same page. "I... okay, that's normal. I didn't mean to-"

"I wasn't finished," Google interrupted, holding up his hand. "I figured that I needed to speak to you in person, to apologise effectively. I just need you to understand that... we may be similar, and I may enjoy having you around, but... but I am not ready to pursue a romantic relationship at this current point in time. Perhaps, in the future, but... for now, I am quite content with my current status. I hope that we can move forward from our past together, in favour of forging a more comfortable future?"

Blaine blinked softly. He turned to look at Bing with an accusatory stare. "What did you  _do_  to him?"

"Hey- I did nothing," Bing denied, holding up his hands in defense. "I just spoke to him about why he was being a cold, arrogant ass lately and the truth came out. I didn't force him to apologise to you, I just... refused to be the messenger. He  _really_ means it,"

"I do," Google affirmed. "I've come to realise that I can keep my regular lifestyle, while also... not pushing away the people that care about me. I felt threatened by your presence earlier, but I've calmed myself quite effectively since then. So, Blaine... would you continue to be an acquaintance of mine, now that all of this is settled?"

Blaine sighed as he nodded, seemingly unsure of where to go from this point. "Yeah, I... sure, Google. Thanks for talking to me about it,"

Google smiled. "I will have to get into the habit of talking about my emotions more often..."

"Okay, I'm tired," Chase interrupted, leaning back gently into Bing's embrace. "I  _really_  want to sleep, so if there's nothing else I'm useful for, I'd like to take  _you_  up to our room and cuddle there,"

Bing chuckled against Chase's back. "As you wish, my prince,"

"Hey, what are you- no, stop it!"

Chase's frantic laughter didn't cease as Bing carried him bridal style up the stairs, heading to their bedroom. The lock clicked into place.

"Well, I'll be out pitching a tent," Angus stated, adjusting his backpack on his shoulders.

"I'll go too," Blaine smiled. "I mean... gotta keep the tradition alive for a few more nights, right?"

Angus smirked as he ruffled Blaine's hair. He'd miss having the kid around, but... well, everyone had to move on at some point, right? 

"Right you are..."

The two egos vacated the room, leaving only Google and the two sleeping Septiceyes behind. The android let out a sigh as he looked again at the two egos lying on the couch. They seemed... comfortable. Calm, and quiet, and happy. Google could  _never_  deal with these kinds of surroundings. He wasn't the type to sit and enjoy  _nothing_ , it just... wasn't in his nature.

Perhaps, romance wasn't something he was meant to experience. It wouldn't surprise him. Wasn't that what he'd been telling Bing for months now?

But at the same time... it didn't seem so bad. The comfort, and the bond that two people could share, and the sensations that came with giving your heart to another... just by observing the egos around him, Google had learned a lot about how wonderful love could really be.

It came in different shapes, and sizes- there was quiet, soft love like the relationship shared between Robbie and The Host- a relationship built on simple human affection, without worrying about labels, or appearances... Google could appreciate the appeal. But at the same time, he couldn't comprehend being part of something like that. No, he needed to be occupied by thought at all times- he didn't want someone who would slow him down...

Then, there was the showy, extravagant love that Marvin and Yandereplier had been throwing at each other for the past two years. They were like the opposite of Robbie and Host- their love was part of their identity, part of their  _image_. Every gesture between them was grand, and over-the-top, and... if Google was honest, he found it rather shallow. But they did care about each other, even a blind man could see it. He just wasn't so sure that type of love was right for him, either...

And the doctors... well, their love seemed to have a foundation in just how similar the two were. Both were passionate about medicine, passionate about keeping everyone safe and healthy- and of course, passionate about  _each other_... Their love was strong because it was maintained both sexually and romantically,  _and_ it was built on mutual trust. Google just didn't see himself possessing any of the qualities needed to create something like that of his own. Romance had never intrigued him, he'd never thought of partaking in intercourse with another- and of course, he was quite possibly the least trustworthy ego here...

No, that kind of love wasn't something Google could even hope to imitate. And neither was the love shared by Dark and Anti- their relationship was so on-and-off that it  _hurt_ to try to comprehend what was happening at any given point. Even in 2014 when he'd arrived, they'd been confusing- did they like each other, or was it purely platonic? Was Dark courting Wilford, or Anti? Even now Google had questions he wouldn't dare to ask them. He had no idea of how the two of them worked so well, but they  _did_.

Google liked to believe that any future partner of his would appreciate boundaries, and want to define what their relationship was, and have enough decency to keep it behind closed doors when necessary...

He stopped. His internal fan was whirring again, and his eyes were flashing bright blue, reflecting from the television screen. He'd been close to overheating, he was thinking so hard...

Why did the thought of being alone forever suddenly seem so unpleasant to him?

**~Groundlands~**

It wasn't that Seán was avoiding Dark, honest, he was just... unsure of how to proceed with holding a conversation with the guy. Girl? Seán felt it was safe to assume Dark was a woman today, judging by the female pronouns Anti had been using. He could still taste Dark on his lips, and that just wasn't something he felt he was entirely comfortable with the rest of the table knowing about...

Mark was talking about how he'd booked a pole dancing lesson for the two of them in mid-August, a promotional opportunity for CLOAK- when suddenly Seán felt a stabbing pain in his head.

"Ah,  _shit_ -" he groaned, recognising the ache almost instantly. "Anti, for fook's sake, couldn't ye wait  _one_ \- something's wrong with Dark!"

The sudden exclamation startled Mark and Amy, while Robin practically jumped out of his seat. The three stared at Seán with wide eyes- but it wasn't Seán in there right now. Those bright, green eyes were filled with terrified tears as Anti stumbled to his feet, beckoning for the others to follow.

"Wait- what happened?!" Mark called after him, racing up the stairs in effort to catch up. Anti seemed worried about something, something  _big_... what had they been  _doing_  up here?

"S-she collapsed!" Anti gasped out, wrenching open the door with almost enough strength to break the latch. "We were talking a-and we..."

Mark stopped in the doorway, not wanting to step any closer as he pressed his palm to his mouth in shock. "O-oh God..."

Dark was limp in her chair by the mirror- she was propped up as if she'd been relaxed a few moments ago, her head rolled to one side and her eyes open in a blank, unwavering stare. She was even paler than before- one hand looked as though it had been around her bump, while the other had fallen limply to her side. Mark didn't want to touch her, but he knew from the way that Anti's face fell, checking for a heartbeat...

Dark was dead. Dark was really  _dead_... all that effort, all of the excitement, it was... all for nothing.  _How could that be all for nothing?_

Nobody could bring themselves to tug Anti away from her corpse, all of them too shocked, and scared, and... this was horrible.

This couldn't be happening, this... this wasn't right. They deserved better than this...

Didn't they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm s o r r y y'all, it's tagged major character death for a reason-


	38. Chapter 37

**~Groundlands~**

"What did you do?" Robin asked breathlessly, looking at the scene with wide eyes, not entirely sure what to make of this turn of events. "Is that... is she...?"

"No- no, no, no, she  _can't_  be dead..." Anti shivered, lacing his fingers with Dark's own as he caressed her cheek, eyes already spilling so many tears that he couldn't explain where they kept coming from. "She just t-told me... she said she was going to  _live_. H-how can she...?"

"What did she... what did she say, to you?" Amy asked quietly, wrapping her hand comfortingly in Mark's as she noticed him shaking, obviously not taking this well. Hell,  _none_  of them had expected this. They'd all warned Dark about what would happen if they weren't careful, but now that it had really come to pass...

Amy supposed that she'd believed Dark knew better than  _this_.

"She just said t-that the baby wasn't thinking anymore," Anti shuddered out, pressing their entwined hands to his forehead, his breathing ragged and his throat sounding constricted. "And then s-she... she was gone..."

Amy looked softly into Mark's eyes, pulling him close to her and holding him comfortingly. This... this wasn't good. What would happen now? Was the baby even alright? They had no way of knowing... oh, and she'd have to tell the doctors. How could she explain to them that Dark hadn't listened to their advice, their warnings, and... and now she was dead? She'd really thought Dark would make it- it wasn't like that demon to give up so easily...

"I'll... I'll go get the doctors," Amy sniffed, reluctantly disentangling her hand from Mark's as she ventured downstairs to get her phone. Henry didn't follow her- instead, the shy little puppy made his way over to Anti, gazing up at him unblinkingly. That was strange... he didn't usually trust people enough to approach them.

Anti stifled a sob as he tentatively reached down to pet the little dog, tangling his fingers in Henry's soft fur. Not even dogs could make this better... Anti thought he'd known what was best. He thought he'd figured it all out, he thought Dark was stronger than this... she couldn't be gone, could she? It had all happened so  _suddenly_...

"But what..." Mark swallowed, shaking his head in disbelief. "What  _happened_?"

"I d-don't..." Anti sobbed, wiping away at his tears furiously. "I just... w-we were talking about my g-glitch, and how we'd manage D-Desiree inh-heriting it, w-when she... she just  _collapsed_. And the mirror, it just... s-stopped working. I came as quick as I could, but she..."

Mark's breaths were rough and hard to swallow down, and he could feel the heat rushing to his head, his heart pounding right out of his chest... Then, he felt his hand reach out of its own accord.

"Anti- what happened?!"

Anti shook his head, biting his lip as the tears started to mix with a few traces of blood around his neck. The seam, which had healed over almost completely, was bursting open with every second passing- Anti's entire front would soon be covered in crimson if he couldn't calm himself down.

But getting blood on the floor was clearly nobody's primary concern as Dr. Iplier rushed over, gently shoving Anti aside. The doctor had slightly shaky hands of his own as he reached out to press a hand to Dark's throat, feeling for any sort of indication that she was alive...

"This doesn't add up," Doc swallowed, clearly struggling to fight against the anguish that Mark was feeling. "Dark's explained to me in detail what would happen in the case of her permanent death, and this... she said her form would change back to its original image. That she'd crumble to dust, not..."

"Wh-what?" Anti shivered, eyes widening. "You mean... she's  _okay_? But why isn't she-?"

"Just because she isn't dead, doesn't mean she's okay," Doc muttered grimly. "This could be one of many undesirable outcomes we'd planned against... what was she doing before she collapsed, Anti? Was she stressed, or aching suddenly? Did she start having contractions?"

"We were... talking through the mirror," Anti admitted, hardly able to speak through the lump in his throat. "Nothing... nothing strenuous,"

Doc's expression darkened as his eyebrows narrowed. "You disobeyed our  _explicit_ instructions  _not_  to communicate that way?! Anti, we told you that for a  _reason_ -"

"Are you going to help her or not?!" Anti all but shouted, getting to his feet. "It was D-Dark's idea not to listen to you, not mine! All she w-wanted was to  _talk_ to me, a-and..."

"And because of that lack of sense, look at where we are now," Doc gritted his teeth, biting back his rage. "I cannot  _believe_  you let her talk you into that-"

"Look, it- it wasn't exhaustion, Dark was fine!" Anti snapped. "This wasn't because of the mirror, it... she said that she couldn't hear Desiree thinking anymore. She got panicked, and then... then, she collapsed. And she isn't waking up..."

Anti shuddered out half a pained sob, holding his head in his hands. "If there's a-any way to help them,  _please_  Doc..."

Doc's resolve wavered, but he stood his ground firmly. He had a sinking suspicion of what might have happened, and... and it wasn't something that Anti could help. It wasn't something that either of the parents could help, not really... blaming it on their use of the mirror was simply unfair. "Anti... you say that your child stopped communicating with her?"

"I... y-yeah, that's what happened," Anti gulped. "Is the baby o-okay?"

"I'm afraid it is impossible to tell," Doc swallowed, wondering if he should let Anti maintain his hope for a few minutes longer. It would be insensitive to tell him this way, but... but letting Anti believe that everything was fine seemed especially more cruel.

He sighed in defeat. "If her brain activity has ceased, that would indicate that... that the child no longer has a heartbeat. It's the only reason that a mind would stop trying to process its surroundings, and... I'm sorry, Anti. I don't think your child made it..."

Anti's face fell even further, as Doc had expected- but he couldn't just lie to Anti about what was happening. He briefly reflected on the fight he'd had with his fiance over telling Chase about his past, but he knew that even Henrik would agree that telling Anti would be best. This wasn't something you could come back from, no matter how much magic Dark tried to pour into her body. The child... she was gone.

"I... b-but, I can't lose them  _both_ -"

"Dark is still alive," Doc corrected softly, offering a hand to Anti, helping to pull him to his feet. "You haven't lost her yet, but... she's probably trying to keep the child tethered to her body. It's... it's no use. When an infant's heart stops, there's no bringing it back from the dead..."

"No," Anti breathed, shaking his head in denial. "No- no, I can't  _lose_ -"

"Anti," Doc said again, giving Anti a sad, pitiful look. "I... I'm sorry for your loss, but if the child is truly gone, I must... I must remove her body from the womb. Without the extra form weighing her down, Dark will likely be healthy as ever, and... and she'll be able to return home in a relatively stable physical state-"

"No!" Anti cried out, cradling Dark's chilled body in his arms, running his hand over her bump as if trying to feel a heartbeat. "You c-can't... I won't let you do that!"

"Keeping a miscarried child in the womb is dangerous, Anti-"

"She was so close to b-being born!" Anti shuddered, dropping his arms in defeat. "Sh-she... she was going to be here, any day now, a-and... and there's no way she's-"

"Anti..." Doc shook his head, trying to coax Anti away from the corpse of his lover. "Anti, there's no greater pain and sorrow than watching a mother give birth to a dead child. It's still far too common in this world, for infants to pass away during labour, and... and it just goes to show that there is always a risk involved, no matter how small and unlikely... I'm sorry for your loss. I... I can leave you alone with them for as long as you need to grieve, but it would be best to-"

"Shut up!" Anti shouted, glaring up at the doctor with tears of hate, and remorse, and longing in his eyes. He felt his body start to glitch, he heard Jack cry out at him, in pain- but he didn't care.

He didn't  _care_.

His family, his lover and his child... they were gone.  _Gone_.

How could he bring himself to think about anything else?

He sniffed, holding his head in his hands. "S-shut up..."

Doc retracted his hand in understanding. This... this was a lot to take in, and he couldn't blame Anti for being so upset. Doc himself had been driven to terrible things at the death of a loved one, even when he knew that Henrik would reform eventually. This loss... Dark and Anti could try all they wanted to bring another child into the world, but it would never be the same.

"I... I'll leave you two alone," Doc swallowed, gesturing to the door and nodding for the room's other occupant to leave. He didn't know the man- but he must have been trusted by Mark, or he would never have been allowed up to see Dark and Anti at all. The little dog that had been by Anti's side followed them out, barking as he bounded down the stairs.

He closed the door softly, Anti's grief-wracked sobs still carrying down the hall.

**~?~**

"Damien!"

Celine didn't know where exactly she was- it was all black in here, with no light and some kind of sticky...  _fleshy_ , floor. It was disgusting- but she'd live with that, for as long as it took. Their baby, she... she'd gone quiet. It was as though a constant buzzing in her ears had come to a stop- she'd been so used to it that she'd barely noticed when Desiree's little voice stopped sounding in her ears, and by then, she sensed that it was almost too late...

"Damien?!" She called out again, not trusting herself to run on this uneven, slippery ground. Dark had possessed the body of their child in hopes of saving her, and Celine assumed that this was the inside of their child's mind. It was cramped, and terrible, and so  _warm_  in here, but... but she supposed it made sense.

Their child had only ever been inside the womb, after all. She wouldn't know much about any other surroundings.

_Now, she might not even live to see the rest of the world..._

"Celine!"

She'd never felt so happy to hear that voice.

"Oh, thank God- have you seen her anywhere?!" Celine asked, her words tumbling out as her limbs twitched with adrenaline. Damien was here now, breathing heavily, stumbling as best he could without his cane to help him. His eyes were wide with newfound terror.

"No, I... does that mean she's g-gone-?"

"No!" Celine shook her head, looking around worriedly. "She isn't gone- we came as quick as we could, and... and Denise's spirit was left behind for  _much_ longer-"

"Y-yes, but Denise perished in that manor," Damien swallowed, fidgeting nervously with his jacket sleeves. It had been so many years since they'd been in a mindscape- decades, in fact. Damien still wore that awful winter outfit he'd been trapped in for forty years, stuck with Celine in the purgatory of Dark's mind... she'd sworn never to keep him in the dark again.

And this was hardly the place for such heavy snow gear. It was borderline  _claustrophobic_  in this moist, humid cavern- but then... how could it have taken so long for them to find their precious child, if that were really the case?

He shook his head. "The circumstances were m-much different-"

"What about Tenebreux?" Celine asked, grabbing Damien's wrist and tugging him forward, steadying him so that he could keep up with her pace

"Like we'd be able to s-see Tenebreux in this place anyway..." Damien muttered, swallowing down his nerves. "I-I'll assume he's keeping her heartbeat steady- do you hear it?"

"Yes," Celine shivered. "It's... like an echo, all around us. But I can't hear  _her_. Where could she have gone?"

"We'll just have to keep looking," Damien stated, looking forward with grim determination. "Come, we should... split up. You take the-"

"Yes, we  _should_  split up," Celine interrupted, wrenching her hand out of Damien's grasp in realisation. This situation... it had gotten out of hand so quickly, and Anti would be worried about them. He'd have already gotten the doctors involved, and... that couldn't end well. They'd mess up everything- they'd ruin it  _all_...

"You... you need to go to Anti, and tell him what's happening. I'll stay here-"

"Wh- but, Celine, I- that isn't  _possible-_ " Damien tried to argue, but Celine fixed him with a steely glare. She sighed vehemently, running a hand through her hair nervously.

"I know we haven't tried it, but... but look, alright- Seán's body is still alive. If we can get you in there, you could stay without Tenebreux's help- and you could explain everything, and we can bring you back when we've sorted this out,"

"But- but our child could  _die_ -"

"Our child could already be dead!" Celine snapped harshly, tears welling up in her eyes. "I-I... I know you don't think I care, but I  _do_! This is your life, your  _happiness_ , and you haven't felt happy for a  _moment_  when Anti wasn't by our side. You need to speak to him, for... for both of your sakes..."

"Celine, I..." Damien swallowed his uneven breathing, reaching out to hold her arm as comfortingly as he could. He hadn't held her in so long... nobody had. He'd missed the feeling of another's touch on his skin, and he knew that even if she didn't want to admit it, she'd missed it too.

"I  _know_ that you care. But I'm... I don't even know what's happening, or how we even  _got_ here... it'd be better if you went to explain everything to him, while  _I_ stayed here."

Celine sighed. "Damien-"

"What, you don't trust me?" Damien huffed, feeling at the walls of the cavern around him as he found a place to hold himself. "I can find her, and watch over her to make sure she doesn't drift away, if... if she h-hasn't already. But I have  _hope_ \- Tenebreux is keeping her body stable. Anti needs to know the truth, before he panics, a-and... and you should tell it to him. I believe in  _you_ , Celine..."

"But  _you_  love him," Celine muttered, letting her arms fall to her sides. "I... I thought that you'd like the... the chance to speak to him, in person. Without me there..."

Damien shook his head, eyebrows furrowing. "No- are you  _insane_? This is hardly the time to discuss the details of  _my_ love life- our  _child_ needs help, and us standing here arguing isn't helping her  _at all_. Just... just tell him that we're fine. He's probably worried sick, we didn't give him  _any_ warning when we came here to save her..."

Celine swallowed nervously- really, that wasn't the reason she'd wanted to send Damien at all. She trusted him to speak to Anti in a clear, concise way- he was good with his words, and he... he always knew what to say. Celine would probably only make him more distressed, but... but Damien believed in her. She had to believe in herself, too...

"I... If you're  _sure_ I'm the best choice, I'll... I'll go. Just... stay safe, little brother. Don't destroy anything while I'm gone..."

"There's n-nothing here to destroy," Damien shuddered, unable to hold his stress and worry back any longer. Celine could barely make out the stream of tears coming from his eyes in the dim light, but the sight caused her heart to lurch in her chest.

He was trying to be strong, trying to get through this... the least she could do was help his battle. This was his family. They were everything to him... so they were everything to  _her_ , as well.

"Good luck... I'm  _sure_ we can help this matter. We  _have_  to..."

Celine smiled sadly at him, feeling herself being whisked away by the demon, her surroundings falling away until there was nothing left.

_If only I could be so optimistic..._

**~Groundlands~**

"You're not dead, I  _know_ you aren't..." Anti sniffed, running his fingers over Dark's pale cheek, sitting beside her limp body as if he was trying to spread his own warmth to her. As if... as if he could help her wake up.

He knew he couldn't.

"You're really, really brave, Darky..." Anti continued with a shudder, "but Doc says you can't save her, no matter how hard you try..."

He didn't know what he was waiting for. A sign? A message? Was he waiting for Dark to wake up, with a wide smile and happy tears in her eyes, telling him that everything was going to be okay?

It  _couldn't_ be. He knew that- no matter how he screamed and shouted at the doctor for giving him the bad news, it couldn't be undone. They'd lost their baby... their sweet little girl. He'd barely even known her.

Yet somehow, he felt he knew her even better than he'd known himself. He felt  _close_  to her, like she was a part of him... like he'd been there with her through everything that had happened. It was silly, and ludicrous- he was well aware of that fact, and yet... yet his gut still told him he wasn't alone in this.

_Of course you're alone, you hurt everyone you've ever_ _l͡_ _ov_ _e̶_ _d̨._

_Jack, Dark, and_ _n͘o̵w̴_ _your little_ _̶_ _g_ _i͏r̸_ _l_ _.҉.͜_ _.̸..._

_She's ̧_ _l̡_ _ucky to have avoided growing up with you..._

_You'd_  ̴ _ne_ _v̷e̷_ _r have made it as a_ _p̡_ _ą_ _r҉e͘n҉t̴_ _-_

"Shut up!" Anti hissed, clutching at his head furiously, the slit on his neck bursting just a little wider. "You pieces of  _shit_ , this is  _not_  the time!"

_Of c_ _o̢u̶r͡s͠_ _e it's the time..._

_You're_ _w͝e͞a͞_ _k as ever..._

_How could you have believed you were_ _r҉_ _i_ _d҉_ _of_ _͠_ _ưs?_

_We're going to be_ _h̶_ _er̸_ _e͜ ̴̴f̢_ _o̸̸_ _r̸͞͠_ _ȩ̛_ _v̵e̷r̢҉_ _..._

_Ἤἔʀἔ_ _ғ_ _ὄʀἔ_ _v_ _ἔʀ_ _..._

"W-what...?" Anti shuddered, his mind echoing harshly, ringing in his ears. That voice... it was different to the others. He'd never heard it before...

Before he could even try to dwell on that matter, he felt Dark's body flinch in his arms, and with wide eyes he snapped his gaze to her figure. She didn't seem any more lifelike, but she had a hand clamped hard around his arm, and he felt his own heart skip a beat as her eyes twitched slightly.

"D-Dark?" He whispered, uncertain.

Her hand fell limp again, her eyes remaining half-lidded and staring blankly at the ceiling. He couldn't have imagined that, could he? He... he wasn't  _that_  desperate... right?

"Dark,  _please_..." he begged, wrapping her hand in his own again. "Please, wake up... it's over. You c-can't..."

He trailed off with a choked sob, unable to say the words again. He still couldn't admit to himself that his baby was dead, and clearly Dark didn't want to admit it either. He didn't see how any amount of time could heal them from this, it... it was too painful. Too harsh. Too  _real_...

_ 'She won't wake up,' _

Anti flinched- that voice... but no. She couldn't be in his head, she was meant to be in  _Dark's_  head... right? He was hallucinating, he must have been. It wouldn't be the first time his glitch had messed with his-

_ 'Anti- Anti listen to me, you need to... I don't know how to say this. It's me, Celine, and... and there's something wrong with Desiree- but we're fixing it! I know you're stressed, but-' _

"If this is some kind of cruel joke to you v-voices, I'm  _not playing_ ," Anti shuddered, wiping the tears from his eyes. "It must be you... Celine isn't here. She... she's gone..."

_ 'Not completely, and I think you  _ know _  that. Damien and Tenebreux are keeping Desiree's body stable- she's alive, but just barely- even putting me into this body was taxing on their strength, so we can't waste this time. Please, Anti, listen...' _

Anti closed his eyes, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in his head. Was this what Jack felt, every time he was possessed? If he hadn't just lost his child, he might have felt sorry for him, but... but he felt incapable of processing anyone else's grief right now. He could barely even manage his own.

He let out a slow, shuddering breath. Dark remained still. Why would she have come back for that fleeting moment, if this  _wasn't_ Celine?

But if this  _was_  really Celine, how could she be speaking to him? How could she even be  _here_ , in his body?

"I... I'm listening," Anti swallowed. It didn't make sense, but... but he'd listen, if only to give himself enough hope to keep going.

_ 'Good, just- Damien wanted me to let you know that we're still here, because we figured that... that when we possessed her body, it might have frightened you. I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but it was almost too late. We can help her, Anti, you just need to-' _

"Doc says you can't b-bring a baby back from the dead..." Anti shivered, tears spilling from his eyes again. "He t-told me what you were doing, and... and he wants to take her away. He thinks that w-without her, you... you'll be healthy again,"

_ 'That doctor got his PhD from a skit, Anti, and he has no idea what I'm capable of. What Tenebreux is capable of... Dark himself is made up of souls without their bodies. It's possible, however improbable, that we can save her... we need time. We can't let him take the baby, not  _ now _...' _

"But... but what can we do?" Anti asked, sounding hopeless. "If t-the only thing keeping her here is Tenebreux, then... then he can't keep Dark here as well. I'm going to lose one of you either w-way-"

_ 'If it comes to that, Tenebreux will inhabit her body with our souls forever. We'll all be with you-' _

"Oh yeah, my  _lovers_ in the same body as my  _daughter_ , that won't be weird at all," Anti scoffed through the pain, cutting her off unwittingly. "I... I don't want him to take her away. I don't want to lose  _any_ of you..."

_ 'Then trust us, Anti. We can help save her. We can fix this, we just need time...' _

He swallowed. He stood reluctantly, walking slowly over to the door, blood rushing to his head and making him feel even heavier than usual. He clicked the lock into place, praying that Mark didn't keep a key on hand.

"I trust you," Anti breathed, holding his hand to his chest, feeling his heart speeding up at the hope that was running through his veins. "I'll get you as much time as I can, just... just promise me that you won't hurt yourself. Promise me that you and Damien will be okay..."

_ 'I... I can't promise that, Anti. I'm sorry, and... and whatever ends up happening is probably for the best-' _

"No," Anti interrupted, hearing a voice echoing in his head.

_Ɲὄ_ _,_ _ᾗὄ_ _,_ _ᾗὄ_ _..._

He felt his heart lurch of its own accord.

_ 'D-Desiree...?' _

**~?~**

"Desiree?!" Damien called, his heart racing in his chest as he took in his surroundings. He hadn't had a physical form in so long- he couldn't help but feel disoriented and weak in his own body. Dark didn't walk with a limp- Dark wasn't bothered by age, or the inhibitions that Damien had had to live with before his untimely death, and... and he was ashamed to admit he'd gotten spoiled with the sheer power that Dark usually possessed.

It almost made him feel  _trapped_  now, just like he had during those long, empty years living with Celine in a never-ending loop... Helpless, and alone, and  _afraid..._

_But I'm not trapped- not anymore. I'm here to find her, and save her- I have to find her..._

"Desiree!" He shouted again, hoping that she'd give him a sign. A cry, a whimper,  _anything_. She was here, she  _had_  to be here...

**"Calm yourself, Damien, she will be around here somewhere,"**

Damien turned on his heel, stumbling only a little on the barely visible ground as he regarded the mass of darkness before him coolly. It was almost impossible to see the demon's physical form- but he was there, a dark, cloudy mess that blended in nearly seamlessly with his surroundings. Damien had only ever seen his true form once before- but it had been so many years...

"Tenebreux, you have to help me find her-" Damien started.

**"Easy, Damien, easy... If you keep it down, I am certain we will hear her. Babies aren't often quiet creatures,"**

"And you're sure she's here?" Damien muttered, feeling a sudden chill run over him, the lack of Celine's presence setting him on edge. "She's... she's not dead, she's still  _h_ - _here_ , right?"

Tenebreux appeared to sigh. He wasn't an intimidating thing, not up close. He was shorter than Damien, and through his misty exterior his deep black eyes shone through, full of concern. Worried, just as Damien was.

This child... it wasn't just Dark's. It was  _everyone's_.

**"I believe her heart stopped beating longer ago than even you can comprehend..."**

"What does that  _mean_?" Damien sniffed, wiping furiously at his tears. "She... she was never  _alive_? We can't have hallucinated her, everyone could see her, and feel her, and- shit, over there!"

Tenebreux' eyes flicked upwards, and Damien hastily broke into a hobbling run, falling to his knees beside a small, pale little creature. She'd been barely visible against the dim, murky ground...

She had a button nose, and tiny little nostrils, and... oh, she had a full head of soft, brown hair as well. Her eyes were closed, and her petite hands were balled in fists, and she seemed... almost peaceful.

_Too peaceful..._

**"Her heart is beating, Damien- so long as I am here she will not pass. But she is barely a remnant of the person she used to be. Even so young... she had a personality, and memories. I can't feel them. I cannot even feel her presence..."**

"But..." Damien uttered, reaching out hesitantly to brush his fingers across her cheek. She felt cold as ice... that wasn't a good sign. "But she was so happy, and lively... she can't be gone. I... I can't let her die..."

Damien scooped up the child carefully, holding her head steady as he rested her against his chest, unable to feel the beating of her still heart. Her body might have been alive, but her spirit... it was barely even here. Where had it gone?

"I-I... I'm not letting her go. She means too much to me, a-and Anti, and... and Celine, and..."

 **"The knowledge that your family will not survive a situation is troubling, I grant you,"**  Tenebreux tried to sympathise.

Damien let out a sarcastic, spiteful laugh. "Oh,  _please_ , tell me more about how you miss your  _wonderful_  family... you killed countless people to get out of that house. Don't act like you regret it  _now_..."

Tenebreux tensed, but Damien couldn't see that. The demon hated that he understood- he hated that he couldn't obliterate Damien right now, just for what he was insinuating. There had been a time where he'd have relished in the destruction of this insolent brat of a mortal, but now...

Now, he was soft. And tame. And  _weak_...

And he knew that it wasn't even being part of Dark that had changed him.

 **"Mocking my irrational attachment to my kin will get you nowhere,"**  Tenebreux grimaced to himself.  **"If I were you, I would focus on keeping the child awake. I have never possessed the body of an infant, let alone an unborn child before... for all we know, my hold on her could be less effective than we'd thought,"**

"Oh, Desiree..." Damien sighed, rocking her a little in his arms. He... he didn't know the first thing about being a parent, or comforting a child. He supposed that Celine might have had better luck- but then, he also knew that Celine was better suited to helping Anti come to terms with the situation. He felt so inadequate to her, not even just now, but... most of the time, if he was honest. Why would Anti stay with him, given the choice?

He could have Celine.  _Celine_ , who knew what she was doing, and was experienced, and was more outgoing and determined and driven... Damien never could compare to her. Not in looks, or in smarts... he was always quite daft. He never had been adept at making the right decisions...

 **"What are you crying about now?"**  Tenebreux groaned in annoyance.  **"Pull yourself together, Damien. Your child needs you,"**

"She doesn't need  _me_..." Damien scoffed, looking over her small figure sadly. "I am the least important of her parental figures, truly... even you could do a better job of caring for her. I know... I know  _nothing_ ,"

**"I never thought I'd find someone more dramatic than that actor,"**

"Do  _not_  compare me to him," Damien muttered darkly. "I may be useless, but I'm not evil."

 **"He isn't evil either,"**  Tenebreux pointed out, folding his arms despite knowing nobody could see.  **"You know as well as I who was really in control all that time. That man was too weak to do what he did alone. He was even too weak to finish her plan properly..."**

The baby stirred slightly in his arms, and Damien's gaze flickered back to her form. Her eyes opened slowly, just a little, and...

They were blue.

Damien let out a strangled breath of realisation. "Tenebreux, I... I think I understand. The glitch- Anti's glitch, it's  _gone_. Could that... could that be why her systems failed so suddenly?"

Tenebreux raised an eyebrow, sinking to his knees and examining the child up close. She didn't seem scared of him- but then, she didn't seem like she had the energy to react to him at all. She looked sleepy, and fatigued, but... but Tenebreux didn't understand it. That glitch hadn't been like anything he'd seen before, even back when the other demons had included him in their knowledge and kinship groups...

 **"It's quite possible,"**  Tenebreux agreed hesitantly.  **"But what to do about it, I'm uncertain... If I take hold of our old body again, even for a moment, the child could pass on, and this would all be for nothing..."**

"Then- then what can we do?" Damien asked, feeling his heart sink as the baby's head sunk into his chest. She wasn't breathing, but Damien supposed she'd never learned she needed to. In this world, she'd survive only as long as Tenebreux kept her stable. Nothing else could harm her...

 **"We can only wait,"**  Tenebreux replied, pursing his lips.  **"Your sister is smart. She'll realise soon enough that the glitch has been removed, and I'm certain she'll stop at nothing before she returns it..."**

"I have to believe you're right..." Damien murmured, brushing Desiree's hair with his shaking hand. He was so close to her, and yet... he was also so  _far_. "We'll find a way to help you, sweet one... you're going to live. I'll make sure of it..."

**~Groundlands~**

_ 'Is that... is that really you, Dear?' _

_Ɖἔᾄʀ_ _?_

"I... she's here?" Anti whispered, blinking away his confusion. "I-Inside my  _head_? But how...?"

_ 'You... oh, Anti, when you felt our stomach through the mirror, and... and we were talking about how we'd manage her glitch. You must have absorbed it- you must have absorbed  _ her _...' _

Anti's eyes welled with tears as he realised that what Celine was saying... it was true. That was why he'd felt so jittery all of a sudden, that's why he was hearing voices he'd never heard before... she was still here?  _Inside him?_

"I... but that means I k-killed her," Anti shuddered, holding his head in his hands. "I... It's my  _fault_ -"

_ 'No- no, don't you see?! You can get her back in there, we... we can fix this!' _

"But- you mean..." Anti swallowed, looking at Dark's form guiltily. "You're saying I... I have to put it back the way it got there in the first place, r-right? I don't know if I-I  _can_..."

_Memories flashed through his mind- a dim room, Dark laid out on the bed underneath him, bare skin brushing together as the hesitant breaths tumbled from their lips._

_"Are you nervous, Anti?" Dark had whispered, gently caressing Anti's cheek as his body moved gently in time with Anti's own. Even on surface-level, it had all felt so surreal... there was a fog behind his eyes, a compelling desire to let Dark ruin him, but Dark had trusted him with something far more personal instead..._

_"Y-yeah, a bit," Anti had swallowed, his neck wound leaking all over Dark's front as he stared down into those pretty purple eyes. "I've never... done this before,"_

_"I know, sweetheart, I know..." Dark soothed, smiling softly as he shifted Anti's hips, bringing him a little closer. "It's been a while for me, too, but... I trust you. I've waited so long for this... to feel you this close to me. It's every bit as exhilarating as I'd imagined..."_

_Anti chuckled softly, leaning down to kiss Dark's lips fondly. "Is tonight really that special? We've done things like this before, haven't we?"_

_"Yes, but tonight..." Dark hummed, shifting his body a little until his head hit the end of the bed. "Tonight, I want to take us to the next level. If you'll have me, of course..."_

_"Yeah, I... I'd love that, I just don't know how... good, I'll be," Anti admitted._

_Dark's lips twitched in a smile, and he reached up to brush some hair out of Anti's eyes. "I'm sure that being with you will be nothing short of heaven..."_

_Anti let out a nervous little laugh, moving again so that his knees were digging into the mattress, pushing himself up against Dark's middle. "If you think so, I... alright. I love you..."_

_Dark smiled in return, guiding Anti's hands to his own, and basking briefly in the simplicity of the embrace... Anti knew he'd been nervous. Shaky, and afraid, and lacking in any sort of confidence... Dark had seen right through him._

_"You'll be fine, Darling," Dark reassured, looking directly into Anti's eyes, not even disturbed by the worried gaze that met his own._

_"You're sure about this? I don't... I don't want to mess this up, or-"_

_"Oh, Anti..." Dark had chuckled breathlessly, leaning up again to kiss Anti's lips firmly. Anti could feel the blush creeping up, even now... he'd never felt so flustered before. He'd never felt so_ needy...

_"You've nothing to worry about- I'm here, and it's just us. I won't judge you for anything you're concerned about, I promise you. Don't you trust me, too?"_

_Anti had swallowed, nerves still jumping as he moved his hands with Dark's, resting them on Dark's hips as he stared into those unwavering eyes..._

_"_ Yes _, Anti, just like that..."_

_"Is... is there meant to be blood?"_

_There had been so much blood... Anti could feel it seeping from his neck, cascading onto Dark's body, turning the sheets red with the metallic mess of fluid... but then, there was_ other  _blood. Blood that wasn't his own._

_Blood that stopped seeping from Dark as they made love, blood that hadn't cleaned so easily from the seats... Dark hadn't_ _ever_ _told him why he'd bled that way..._

It... it was all becoming so clear.

_ 'Unless you know another way to transmit the glitch, you'll have to,' _

Anti didn't like this plan. And Jack didn't seem to like it either, if the way his gut was turning in on itself told him anything. He didn't want to go over to that cold, lifeless figure, and try to make love to it. Not only did it feel  _wrong_ , but he also knew he'd never be able to do it alone. He needed someone there- someone moving against him, bringing spontaneity, interacting with him, or... or he couldn't find his release.

Dark's body, in this state, it... it was nothing but a glorified sex toy. He couldn't  _do_  that.

"N-no, there has to be another way..." Anti shivered. "I c-can't do this, you know I can't..."

_'And it's bad enough that I deal with your normal sex lives, let alone borderline necrophilia...'_

Anti felt a little guilty for putting his original through this. Even though he'd agreed to take part in every single night they'd spent together, he'd done it begrudgingly. Out of some obligation to prove himself, or something... it sounded so stupid. It sounded like something Anti would do...

Perhaps he and Jack weren't as different as he'd first thought.

_ 'Hold on, I... I might have a solution. Just... don't panic. I promise, I can fix this...' _

Anti didn't have time to think about those words before his body collapsed, falling to the floor.

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Damn... I thought the police would have left by now," Abe muttered, blinking up at the facade of the old house he hadn't so much as seen in decades. Mythea Castle... it was a much more appropriate name than Markiplier Manor had been, that much was certain. And currently, it was covered in police tape, cars blocking off the entrances and officers walking in and out of the building.

"Well, it's a big house," Wilford shrugged, having the sense to at least hide his weapons in the face of the police. The pink-haired man may have known how to dodge a bullet, but Abe certainly didn't- and neither of them particularly wanted to explain the existing hole in the detective's heart, or his ability to shake these sorts of death-inducing things off...

"Yeah, but it's been weeks- what more evidence could they possibly hope to find?" Abe sighed, scratching the back of his head. "We'll have to let this one go for now, buddy- hey, wait- Colonel!"

Wilford was waving jovially at him from the second floor window, barely even noticeable in the bright glare of the sun, as Abe's eyes widened in confusion and shock.  _How_... no, he didn't have time to ask questions. Not when Wilford could get caught at any moment- what was that lunatic  _thinking_?

"My, what are you doing all the way down  _there_?" Wilford drawled, practically hanging out of the window. "Look, I'll- I'll draw you up a chair, just give me a holler when you need me!"

"Keep your voice down!" Abe hissed, ducking to hide in the bushes by the side of the castle. It was a miracle they hadn't already been found. It was like... like the house itself was hiding them from the eyes and ears of the officers standing less than twenty feet away...

_No- that's ridiculous. The house isn't alive..._

Abe shook his head, deciding to take the back entrance, and get to the upstairs as quickly as he could. This place was already messing with his mind, and he didn't want to be here any longer than necessary. He knew that the adventure would all be for nothing- the mayor and his sister wouldn't be here. They'd died, their bodies missing from the manor even when Abe had gone around to check. There wasn't a trace of them. It was like they'd vanished into  _nothing_...

He found his way inside easily- the back door to the living room was unlocked and open, and from there it was easy to get to the staircase. When he reached the top of the stairs he found... he found Wilford, sitting in a reclining chair as he stared fondly at the wooden panelling of the walls. If the house was a woman, Wilford would have run away with her... he'd always come off as someone who loved the place, even after everything that had happened here...

Abe approached him cautiously, knowing that anyone looking for them would hear his footsteps as clear as day. He tapped Wilford on the shoulder.

"Hey- look alive," he hissed in warning. "I don't know how we managed to get up here unnoticed, but you'd better find what you need and-"

**"William!"**

Abe's heart sank in his chest as he felt Wilford's body stiffen in realisation. He couldn't believe it- after all these years... she wasn't still here, was she? She  _couldn't_  be...

"Celine?!" Wilford exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "What did I tell you, Detective- she's here! Celine!"

"Wait-  _quietly_!" Abe warned, checking behind him instinctively, but... the police hadn't seemed to notice the noise at all.

_Now that... that doesn't make a whole lot of sense._

Wilford wasted no time in running down the hall, throwing open the doors to each of the bedrooms, growling in frustration with every empty promise of an answer.

**"William!"**

"I'm coming, Celine!" Wilford shouted in response, passing the rooms by the end of the hall and throwing open the library door. "Are you here? Where are you?!"

"Colonel-" Abe tried to intervene, but Wilford was hearing none of it. He seemed enraptured by that voice, and yet... it seemed almost  _distorted_. Like reality was being bent around them, warbling the tone like an old cassette player, like...

Like this was all a trap.

"I don't know where you are!" Wilford cried out, practically tearing up with nerves as he tried the remaining doors, all of his searches coming up empty. "Celine, tell me where you are!"

**"William, help me! I'm in the attic!"**

"In the..." Wilford trailed off. Suddenly, he seemed even more suspicious than Abe- he whirled around to face the detective, eyebrows furrowed. What had brought on this sudden mood shift?

"What?" Abe panted, out of breath from trying to keep up with Wilford's erratic movements. "What is it...?"

"She isn't here," Wilford spat, discouraged. "Celine would never ask for help from me,  _never_... I know what you are!"

Wilford pounded at one of the walls, madness radiating from him in waves. "How  _dare_  you impersonate Celine?! Where is she?!"

"Hey- wait, calm down!" Abe muttered, eyes darting from side to side. "We need to  _go_ -"

"I'm not going  _anywhere_  until I have answers!" Wilford snarled, shoving Abe aside and raising his pistol to the roof. "Tell me where she is or I'll shoot!"

"Wilford,  _no_ -" Abe tried to interrupt, but it was too late.

The gunshot echoed through the walls of the house and it seemed to shudder impossibly- a single bullet wouldn't normally have done that much. A deep black mist began to ooze from the hole in the ceiling's plaster, filling Abe's gut with a looming sense of dread.

"Run," Abe swallowed, getting to his feet as quickly as he could. "Run, you fool!"

"I'm not afraid of some pussy-ass little demon," Wilford taunted, staring defiantly at the ceiling, gun still outstretched.

The house seemed to laugh at them, the echo of a grim chuckle flooding his senses, disorienting him...

**"Oh, but you should be afraid, homme fou..."**

"If I can handle Dark, I can handle you," Wilford muttered in defiance, crossing his arms. "You're not the first demon I've come up against, Missy..."

The chuckle only grew louder.  _Mocking_...

**"Dark? Oh, ce garçon sans espoir... so he escaped after all. Pathetic** **_whelp_ ** **..."**

"Where's Celine?!" Wilford demanded again, folding his arms despite the terror sinking down in his veins. He hadn't felt afraid in so long... it was debilitating and  _cruel_. He pressed on intently, not wanting to move from his spot, knowing that he couldn't give in. Not  _now_...

The demon laughed at him.

**"Why don't you ask 'Dark' himself, mon cher? I am just** **_certain_ ** **he'd** **_love_ ** **to tell you what he di** **d** **..."**

A little finger crept through the hole in the plaster- a pale, achingly familiar finger... Wilford reluctantly turned away.

"You can't fool me twice," he grunted. "Taking her form isn't going to win me over..."

**"Do you even understand what my brother took from you? Oh, poor little _fools_..."**

"Brother?" Wilford echoed, confusion written across his features. "Who-?"

"Now is  _not_  the time!" Abe growled in warning. "She's playing games with us- the more holes you shoot in the roof, the less time we have to escape! They aren't here, Colonel, they haven't been here in eighty-three years!"

"But I... this is all I have left," Wilford shook his head. "I'm not afraid of you! Tell me where she is, you foul creature!"

**"Is that any way to speak to your** **_amour_ ** **, William?"**

Wilford's eyes widened. His mind snapped further, and he  _saw_  things- things that couldn't  _possibly_ be real. Damien, with his hands wrapped around Celine's neck, choking the life out of her... He saw her body collapse, saw the colour fade from her cheeks, saw the mayor leaving the room and locking the door behind him.

He saw his lover's corpse, lying alone in that attic, gathering dust as her skin grew ever more sunken. Damien... Damien had done this. He'd killed her...  _why_?

"N-no..." Wilford sounded, collapsing to his knees as the ringing in his ears suddenly turned into a cacophony of wailing screams. "No, that can't be  _right_ , Damien would never... you're lying! You're not Celine, you could  _never_  be-!"

"Colonel!" Abe said, snapping his fingers in front of Wilford's face. They were... outside on the grass of the old golf course, the sun shining in their faces. Wilford was lying on the ground- how had he gotten out here? Had Abe dragged him down all those steps?

"Colonel, what did you see? What did she  _do_ to you?"

"She showed me..." Wilford muttered, shaking his head. "Damien... he was choking the life out of her. His own sister... but he  _loved_ Celine, he'd never-"

"Just like you'd never shoot me?" Abe deadpanned, sighing in disbelief. "Just like you'd never kill anyone, huh?"

Wilford frowned. "I don't like what you're insinuating there-"

"It's the truth!" Abe hissed. "You just- you don't  _know_  people, alright?! Anyone could turn on you, and... and the mayor was clearly no exception. Now we know what happened, just... we should leave. I don't know how we got here, but you're bleeding out, and..."

"I'll be fine," Wilford shuddered, glaring at the house. "I'll be just  _fine_..."

"Shit- there are cops around the outside..." Abe groaned, tugging Wilford around the corner harshly. "Through here- make a break for the entrance, don't stop to smell the roses,"

"Alright, hey!" Wilford huffed, affronted. "I'm going, just... follow closely..."

"Oh, trust me, I won't let any demons seduce me into setting them free," Abe muttered spitefully, creeping as quietly as he could through the hallways. The front door was still open, and he couldn't hear anyone in the front. They'd be able to make it out if they sprinted...

On the way, Abe's eyes caught the mirror on the wall, reflecting an arrangement of white flowers on a small coffee table in the foyer. Something about it just... seemed so familiar. It was authentic- he remembered it from his last visit, and that must have been it.

_This was where her body landed, when she..._

He shook his head, moving past the landing and out onto the front porch. Thinking about his old partner was painful... he missed her still, to this very day. He'd looked for her for years, but she... she was nowhere to be found.

How was he to know that she'd never even moved from her deathbed?

He didn't notice the tiny cracks starting to form along the surface of the mirror, or the way the image seemed to darken as they left. It was like all the hope in the manor was gone...

The only things left to reflect here were fear and darkness, now...

**~** **⸮** **Groundlands?~**

Anti blinked hazily, the room around him seeming unnaturally bright in comparison to how he'd left it... it was also larger, and infinitely more cluttered, and...

And it wasn't Dark's room at all.

"Where... where the  _hell_...?" Anti breathed, looking around. Something about this place seemed familiar, though he knew he'd never lived anywhere but in the Void. Something about this staircase, that dining arrangement, the menorah sitting on the dark wooden table...

Where had he seen all this before?

"Anti?"

He turned- and... it was Celine. It was undoubtedly her- but  _how_?

He didn't stop to think before rushing to her side, throwing his arms around her and pulling her close to him. She only hesitated a moment before returning the gesture- but it was a moment too long in Anti's opinion. They parted after a few seconds, Celine smiling softly, if a little nervously. She had her hair down, longer than it had been in the last memory Anti had seen of her. She had a touch of pink lipstick on, cheeks tinted with colour that seemed so out of place, pretty brown eyes popping with a thin layer of eyeliner...

She looked...  _younger_. Less worn, more... more peaceful. It was a good look on her, Anti felt.

"It's... nice to see you too," she breathed, reddening a little further at their proximity, but not making any effort to pull away from him. "But we're not here to catch up, we..."

She looked around worriedly. "Where's Seán?"

"I don't know," Anti shrugged, reluctantly letting his hands fall from Celine's sides as he turned to look around. "But- where are we? Why are we-?"

"We're in my parents' house," Celine answered quickly, checking the backyard quickly. Anti decided to make himself useful by checking the kitchen- it was large, and the counter-tops were built from polished marble, little imperfections and cracks riddled through the brown-streaked pattern. He hadn't seen this before, but it suited the rest of the house. It had that old-timely feel about it, like walking straight into a yellowed photograph from the 1920s...

This was Celine's parents' house? Now that he knew where he was, it was all starting to rush back- the memories he'd witnessed, of Damien and Celine in their childhood. It had been just a little fuzzier, but also a little more... put together? This vision seemed incomplete- some books were missing from a bookcase stacked against the wall, and the clock above the mantle was ticking without a minute hand. It was endlessly counting the seconds, with no reference to determine how long they'd really been here...

It didn't make an ounce of sense, but Anti knew Celine well enough to understand that she  _really_ didn't want to talk about it. She just needed to find Jack- and Anti could do that.

He just didn't really understand how Jack was here, too... how any of them were here, really. A spirit, an ego, and a human being? None of them should even be able to exist on the same plane of existence- Dark had told him. But Dark... Dark wasn't here. And maybe Dark hadn't known as much as she'd claimed to, in retrospect...

"Jack?!" Anti shouted, his voice echoing through the big, empty house. It had seemed so much more filled with joy and life in those memories. What had happened to cause such a happy place to feel so cold and lonely?

"Anti!"

Celine visibly relaxed as she heard footsteps coming from the hall, brushing some stray hair out of her eyes. She wasn't used to having it this long- it had been so many years since she'd even experienced having hair fall past her ears in length...

Making the split-second decision to cut it all off had been the best idea she'd had, second to leaving Mark. Maybe... maybe third, to finally allowing Dark to have a romantic connection with somebody. She'd been hesitant- she'd spent over thirty years trying to get away from the pain of her past, but being with Anti... even if she hadn't always felt safe and secure, she knew that Damien had. And that was all that mattered now.

"Jaysus- where the fook are we?!" Seán asked when he reached the living area. He looked at Celine in confusion, mild horror flooding his features. "You're... oh, no, don't tell me  _I'm_  dead-"

"You're  _not_ -" Celine started, her voice raised nervously before she realised that she was shouting. She shook her head, sighing bitterly- she never had been able to control her temper. She was nervous, mainly because she was here with Anti, meeting him in person for practically the first time, and... damn it. Damien would have been a better option, she knew it...

"You're not  _dead_ , you're just... just, in a coma. I put you there."

Seán's eyes widened. "You  _what_ -?"

"But how am  _I_ here?" Anti wondered, not in the least bothered that his original was having a mild panic attack. It wouldn't be the first time, after all... "How are  _you_  here, I thought you weren't-"

"I... created this house around us, a temporary mindscape where we can interact face-to-face," Celine elaborated, eyes shifting cautiously from side to side as though she was afraid the very world would collapse at any moment. "But there's no time to waste, our baby needs us. Seán, listen to me carefully. Don't think.  _Don't_ try to take back control, whatever you do- I need you to stay in here until I let you go."

"No- wait, hang on a second!" Seán refused, folding his arms indignantly. "Take back control?!"

"You're in your own head," Celine sighed, relenting to the fact that both the man she was kind of dating and his original were slow idiots. But then... well, she'd always had a thing for slow idiots, hadn't she? With her initial attraction to Mark, her following affair with Will... neither of them were particularly bright. But, they certainly had their moments...

" _That's_ how Anti's here," Celine continued, gesturing to the glitch standing beside her. " _I'm_ here because I'm the only one who can help him  _fix_  this situation. You have to trust me, Seán, you don't want to witness what's happening next,"

"But-"

Celine's eye twitched, and suddenly Seán was gone- he'd vanished without a trace. Anti's eyes widened as he looked at her warily, wondering what had gone wrong- even in people's heads, things didn't just  _disappear_. He knew that all too well...

"Where did he...?" Anti started, almost afraid to ask.

"We have to go," Celine commanded, grabbing Anti's hand and leading him hastily towards the grand staircase. "He'll come back in a few minutes, and we need to avoid him. He just won't  _understand_ -"

" _I_  don't understand," Anti huffed, reluctantly wrenching his hand away. It was all flooding into him again- the panic, the terror... the horror he'd felt as he watched Dark fall limp, the news that his baby's heart had stopped. He needed  _answers_ \- how was this,  _any_  of this, going to help fix what he'd done?

"Celine- look, please just- just  _tell me_  what's going on!"

"Fine!" Celine snapped, the house around them seeming to shudder, creaking with instability. She was breathing heavily, her hair frizzy with static- and she let a tear fall from her eye as she forced herself to calm down. The outburst was something familiar. It was the part of Dark that threatened Anti's enemies, that swore to protect him, that grew angered when he didn't obey the rules...

"Fine..." Celine breathed, eyes scrunched closed. "Just... upstairs. My room. Before he sees us..."

Anti let out a sigh, not wanting to hurt her- he just wanted to  _understand_. He was starting to see which part of Dark had been so reluctant to explain themself to him when things were going wrong. It must have been too stressful for her to talk about it- maybe, like Anti, she preferred to jump into the action before thinking about it.

He supposed now he also knew which part of Dark brought the common sense...

Anti remembered the path- impossibly, he felt as though he knew it well. She was guiding him, but he was stepping ahead- and soon enough, he reached a closed door on the second floor. Even though he remembered more, it was the only one left. The rest had been removed and covered in plaster, the wallpaper creeping jaggedly around the forgotten exits. For a moment, he thought he imagined a pair of bright green eyes at the end of the hall- but they faded out before he could look more closely.

He glanced at her for reassurance, squeezing her hand in his own.

Celine reached forward, twisting the doorknob and pushing her way inside- like she didn't have  _time_ for him to hesitate. It was... very yellow in here.

The sheets were a soft white, the peeling wallpaper patterned with little yellow flowers as the torn up curtains flowed softly in the wind. The carpet was cream, and there were cupboards stacked high with various books, trinkets, and even a murky crystal ball on the top shelf. An old-fashioned phonograph was sitting on a desk with a few records scattered around it- and an ornate dresser stood in the corner of the room, worn around the edges.

Anti blinked softly. It was all so... so soft, and gentle in here. It was faded, and broken, but he could tell that it had once been warm and happy.

How had Celine become so... so  _different_?

"I... don't understand,"

"I'm sorry it's not at its best, but I... my memories of my childhood are faded and filled with fairytales. After my father died I couldn't stand to come back here..."

"Hey," Anti hushed, hand trailing up to cup Celine's cheek. Her eyes were watering again, her hair falling messily around her face in waves. He ran his other thumb over her hand, sensing the door closing behind them, though neither of them had moved from their place.

Celine let out a nervous shudder of a breath, looking as though she was torn between pulling away and taking this further. She was mysterious- Anti only knew what she wanted him to know, and right now... right now, he didn't know what to make of her. She was a closed book, with a lock and a key that was dangling, tantalisingly close above him... Almost as if she wanted him to get it, but she didn't know how to give it to him without severing the rope that kept her in control.

She sighed again, shaking her head pitifully against Anti's chest. "It doesn't matter now, it's been almost a century... but we're wasting time. Come here, Anti."

Anti felt himself getting pulled further into their embrace, and then...

Then, he felt familiar, plump lips pressing hard against his own.

It wasn't like kissing Dark. Aside from the texture and the shape of her lips, everything was different- how Celine held the back of his neck, how she moved to deepen the embrace, how her body wasted no time in pressing up against his own. She was being so  _forward_ , and he wanted so desperately to give in, but he... he also wanted answers. He  _needed_  answers.

This was  _no time_  for a secret rendezvous in a fabricated mind-world. His baby needed him- how could he even  _think_ about romance at a time like this?!

Why was he here? Why had Jack's mind taken the shape of his lovers' childhood home? Why was Celine here, kissing him, when she was supposedly the one that  _didn't_  have feelings for him? Where... where was Damien?

He couldn't break away, though, no matter how he knew he should. It was just like what happened with Wiish, except he didn't feel nearly as violated- he was enjoying this, and it wasn't strange at all. He loved her- of course he'd let her touch him if she wanted to. There wasn't any immediate outrage like he'd felt with JJ, and Wiish...

But some part of him still felt uneasy- what about Damien? What was happening to him, alone in that body- what was happening to their  _baby_? How could he stand here and let himself go like this when his family was in danger?

He made a muffled noise of defiance, knowing he couldn't shove Celine away from him even if he tried. But he trusted her to stop, and... and she did. But even if she respected Anti's wishes, she didn't seem too happy about it. Her eyes flashed with urgency.

A thin string of saliva connected their lips as she gazed up nervously at him, fear shining back on both ends. What was she so afraid of?

Why couldn't she just  _tell_  him?

Anti reached up again to run his thumb along the edge of her jaw. He had a gnawing pit of arousal in his abdomen growing with every second, and he could feel the blood pounding in his ears. She wanted him, for whatever reason- and Anti felt that he had a right to know why.

"Please, just... talk to me,"

Celine let out a little whimper of a sigh, looking pained. She wasn't used to explaining herself- she was used to shoving away her emotions and her needs, forcing herself to be the unreadable, dangerous woman that everyone feared. Anti would  _never_  fall for that- Anti had seen too much, he  _knew_  too much... He knew her better than she did, sometimes. It was terrifying...

"Anti, I... We need to do this, I forgot that sometimes short term memory, it... no matter. We need to get your glitch back inside her, and we can't do that from there. You're too stressed, and Seán is too... too straight," Celine murmured, pressing Anti further against the wall in effort to keep up his state of arousal. She needed him to trust her with this, and every moment spent talking was another moment that their child wasn't waking up.

Why...  _why_  couldn't Anti think with his dick like every other man she'd met?

Anti let half a chuckle tumble from between his lips, though he didn't know what to make of this situation at all. He supposed it was only nerves- nerves about the safety of his daughter, and the idea that Celine was here holding him, and even more nerves about facing Dark when this was all over. Would he remember what had happened? Would Damien be jealous?

Having two lovers was all well and fine when they shared the same body. But now...

"We would have been out there for hours thinking about other ways to get around it, and I... I couldn't let them take her out of us. As long as she's in the womb, Dark can protect her- Tenebreux is possessing her right now to keep her from passing, but Tenebreux can't keep two people alive at once. We need to give her life back, Anti- we can't let her grow up sharing her body with a demon..."

"You think..." Anti swallowed, slowly coming to realise what the plan was. She was right- there was far too much stress to move forward in the outside world, but in here... here, being able to touch her and talk to her and  _be_  with her... he could put the glitch back. He just had to take back control at the right time, and...

It was far-fetched, but really... what other choice did they have?

"You really think this will help?" Anti asked, hoping for some reassurance.

"It has to," Celine affirmed, determined. "There's no other way, it... it's written in the future. We all make it. This  _has_  to work..."

"But what if it doesn't?!" Anti shuddered worriedly. "What if we-?"

She shut him up with another kiss, shoving him even harder against the wall as she hitched up his shirt. Anti's half-thought out argument died on his tongue- what had he been saying again?

"I've got everything else lined up," Celine muttered between kisses, her touch feeling like fire against Anti's skin. "All you need to do is take control when I tell you to, and we'll save them. I won't lose them,  _any_ of them..."

She sighed, tears still welling in her eyes. "I won't lose... I won't lose  _you_ ,"

"Me...?" Anti uttered breathlessly, suddenly aware of being laid down on Celine's bed, shirt riding up his stomach and exposing his milky white skin. Even though he knew he shouldn't be feeling exposed right now, the fingers running teasingly along his stomach felt like they didn't belong there, not like  _this_. He trusted Celine to know what was best, and he trusted her with his body, but... but there was something so different about her advances that he couldn't quite place.

They weren't warm, or soft, or loving... they were harsh and rushed. Passionate, yes, but it wasn't a passion for love. It was a passion for survival- for their  _family_ 's survival. Anti supposed that he could understand it, even if his body resented him for it...

"You're the best thing that's happened to us in years," Celine agreed, hooking her fingers through the hem of Anti's jeans and tugging them down. "To all of us, and... and I need to fix this mess. I'm the one who started it..."

"You... didn't-"

Celine's eyes softened. She reached to brush Anti's fringe aside, pressing a careful kiss to his nose, and suddenly... suddenly, her touches felt more at home. Dark had used to do that, even before they were dating... had she really cared about him all this time?

"Anti, I appreciate that you think I'm some... some  _hero_ in this story, but..." Celine muttered, closing her eyes. "Who do you think decided to sleep with Seán in the first place? Without me, this entire thing would  _never_ have happened..."

"Without you," Anti started, feeling Celine's breath on his lips as he tried not to let himself give in completely just yet. He had something to say- something that couldn't wait for a more appropriate moment. Celine needed to hear this- possibly just as much as Anti had needed it all those days ago...

"Without you, I... I wouldn't have met Dark. I wouldn't have had friends, and I... I wouldn't have fallen in love. I wouldn't have been blessed with a baby, and... I wouldn't know you. I wouldn't know  _either_ of you..."

"Without me, you'd have found love with someone else," Celine denied, shuddering as she found herself pressed into Anti's front, hating the way that the tingles all felt so  _right_... This wasn't meant to be about her. This was just about helping Anti, she was only a means to an end, but... but how he was trailing his fingers down the curve of her waist, and looking so carefully into her eyes...

She knew he saw her as more than that.

Anti shook his head defiantly, his nose bumping softly with hers as he leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. He understood- he'd  _felt_  this before. This overwhelming self-loathing that clouded his judgment and made him believe that he didn't matter... Celine was feeling it, too.

All this time, had she felt unworthy of his affection? Of  _anyone_ 's affection?

"But I love  _you_ ," Anti whispered, not trusting himself to speak aloud with her so close to him. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel hers through the thin fabric of her dress- she still looked afraid. But that fear, just for a moment, gave way to a spark of  _hope_...

She hesitated a moment. Anti... Anti loved her. He didn't just love Damien, he didn't just love Dark... he knew them all. He appreciated them all, and... and he appreciated  _her_. It had been years, so many  _years_...

She kissed him again, but this time... this time, it was different. It was slower, and a little less purposeful, and just a little... warmer? It was soft, and gentle, and still passionate- though the others had obviously been frantic and desperate. Anti didn't have to look far to determine which he liked more of the two.

Their lips parted just as softly as they'd come together, and Anti wasted no time in kissing her again. She needed this- and if doing this could help both Celine and Desiree... Anti would do it in a heartbeat. Now that he understood what was needed, he could fix this.

He could fix  _all_  of this...

It was all a blur- time didn't seem to work the same way here as it did normally. Things seemed to flicker back and forth- a touch here, a kiss there, appearing in and out of reality as if the world around them couldn't make up its mind. One moment they were whispering insecurities and seeking comfort from each other- but the next, Celine's hands were trailing up Anti's waist as he unzipped her dress, tugging the fabric between them away until they could feel each others' bare warmth on their skin.

Celine hadn't made love in years, so many years... she'd grown so used to her encounters being purely sexual, hiding herself away so that her heart wouldn't hurt anymore, that she'd forgotten how it felt to be truly loved. How it had felt in the first years of her marriage to Mark, how it felt when she was liberated and cared for by William...

She'd been so afraid of letting herself fall again. All of her relationships had ended in disaster, and she was the common factor in every one of them- why did these powerful, passionate men want to spend time with her? Didn't they understand that she was dangerous?

Didn't they understand that she'd break their hearts, even when she wasn't trying to?

"Why do you stay...?" Celine murmured, eyes scrunched a little in fear as she let Anti kneel over her pale figure, his hands trailing across the little raises and valleys of her chest and stomach. In person- or as in person as a disembodied spirit could really be- Anti's touches felt like fire. She'd always wondered what drove Damien so wild about this man, but if he felt anything like this when Dark was interacting with Anti... she could understand it.

The infatuation, the swelling of their heart... Damien had fallen for him almost immediately, so enraptured by his youth and his sweet personality. Celine had scoffed at what she'd assumed for so long was a simple crush, but what she was feeling right now... it was real. It had been real for Dark, every moment in the past few months, but... she'd assumed it was Damien's desires that were fueling their emotions.

And Damien wasn't here now. It was just her, and Anti, and they were  _alone_... she had nobody else's feelings but her own.

And it was  _terrifying_. All this time... she'd wanted him too, hadn't she?

"Because I love Dark," Anti answered without hesitation, pulling her form just a little closer to his own. He was so warm like this, without the numb of an external shell of a body blocking him out... why had she let herself run from the opportunity for so many years?

"And you and Damien are part of that," Anti continued, kisses trailing down her neck as his hands found her waist. She was hot, and flustered, and she'd locked her knees together almost shamefully as her heart continued to beat defiantly. She felt like a  _virgin_ \- like this was unexplored territory, even though she'd seen every part of the man before her, touched it all, kissed every surface...

"Please, be... be gentle," she whispered, the pressure inside of her growing as Anti's arms wrapped around her figure, his hips moving gently in time with her own. It had been so many years...

So many years since she'd let herself give in like this.

"It's been... it's been over eighty years since I..." she trailed off, practically gasping at the feeling of his kisses on her neck. "A-and I'm..."

"Nervous..." Anti finished, breathing nothing more than a whisper. He wasn't judging her. He  _knew_  what she was feeling.

It made her cold heart flutter, warming for the first time in years...

"It's okay," Anti murmured, conscious of the heat cascading from their bodies, the room starting to feel like a furnace as they moved together, rolling into each other on the worn out mattress that somehow felt more at home than Dark's fancy designer bed could ever be. This felt so much more personal, so much more about the feelings they'd both pent up over all this time than the primal act of sex.

But  _shit_ , was it good sex.

Celine had been nervous. She'd gotten so used to Dark's tolerances, and Dark's methods, and Dark's body that she didn't know how efficient she'd be at... well, anything. She'd fallen into the role of someone she wasn't, and now that she was back, for the most fleeting moment... she was lost. Dark's sex life was... strange, to say the least. She switched from male to female depending on who she was with, and Dark could handle so many things at once...

Celine almost felt ashamed when her weak little human body couldn't keep up with what Anti was used to.

But he hadn't wavered at all- he'd been considerate, and caring, and when she reached her own breaking point so much sooner than he did, he'd helped her through the aftermath. He'd slowed so that her oversensitive areas could rest, and he'd cradled her close, and he'd kissed her until she was red in the face from all the affection. Affection... she hadn't let herself appreciate it in so long.

_So long..._

**~?~**

"No, no Dear, hush..." Damien whispered, rocking his restless daughter in his arms, cooing softly at her in hope that she'd calm herself down. He could only assume that this was a good sign- that this was working, for why else would she have suddenly gained enough will to cry?

But she was still crying. And Damien hated to hear it- he wanted to make her happy, he really did. Speaking to her seemed like all he could really do to soothe the wayward emotions of her heart, and even that was hardly working well...

 **"She's growing more active,"**  Tenebreux noted coolly.  **"It seems that they aren't as hopeless as we'd feared..."**

"So she'll live?" Damien asked, wanting to hear the words of reassurance in order to soothe his own troubled mind.

Tenebreux let out a heavy sigh.  **"If they are uninterrupted, I can only assume that they will succeed in whatever it is they're doing,"**

Damien breathed a sigh of relief, his hold on his little girl only tightening as her cries grew louder. She didn't recognise him... she didn't recognise  _either_ of them. And it hurt, but... Damien knew he'd rather have a living child with amnesia than a deceased one with her memory intact... at least this way, he could earn her love again. At least this way, they could be a family once more...

"Shh, sweetheart..." Damien murmured softly, rubbing softly at her stomach, hoping that the skin-to-skin contact would help to soothe her. It didn't seem to be helping much at all, but it was better than doing nothing. "Daddy's here... do you remember me?"

Desiree sniffed again, closing her eyes and moving her fists as hard as her little muscles could take them. Damien could hardly even feel her touch through his coat. She was weak, terribly weak... he only hoped that whatever they were doing to fix the situation, it would get better soon.

Desiree just didn't seem to want to be calmed...

 **"Try humming a lullaby,"**  Tenebreux suggested, finally taking a seat beside Damien and Desiree on the murky, damp cavern floor.  **"Children love lullabies..."**

"She'll have no clue what a lullaby is," Damien shook his head, rocking her still, letting her wrap her little fingers around his thumb and squeeze tightly. "She... she won't like it,"

 **"You've hardly tried,"**  Tenebreux huffed indignantly.  **"Here, let moi..."**

"What, you sing?" Damien asked, genuinely curious. "I've never heard you sing before..."

Tenebreux, unbeknownst to Damien, rolled his eyes. Foolish mortal... what did he think demons usually did for fun? 

**"Because I've never sung in front of you before, obviously..."**

Tenebreux let out a small sigh, reaching over to trail a hand over the child's forehead. She shivered a little at the cold, but stopped crying so loudly. She only sniffled in response, seeming to curl in further to Damien's chest, little fists balling in the warm fabric. She didn't seem afraid, just... uncomfortable. It wasn't so uncommon for his presence to garner that response...

He began to sing.

**_"Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques,_ **   
**_Dormez-vous, dormez-vous?_ **   
**_Sonnez le matines, sonnez le matines..."_ **

Tenebreux hummed the melody a few times over, smile widening just a little every time Desiree's eyes fluttered closed. She was hardly sniffling anymore, now, just... listening. Processing.

It was good news.

"Wow, you... you can really sing," Damien admitted, shrugging his shoulders as he adjusted his hold on Desiree. "I don't know what I was expecting, really..."

Tenebreux simply shrugged again.  **"What can I say? I am a demon, Damien. We were all made with alluring qualities, and song is just one of them... why don't you give it a try?"**

"I can't top that," Damien shook his head, smiling sadly at Tenebreux. "I haven't sung in so many years, and... I haven't got any demon magic keeping my voice tight and strong."

 **"Yes, but you can hum for her,"**  Tenebreux compromised.  **"Go on, she needs to hear your voice... it is how she knows who you are,"**

Damien sighed reluctantly. "Just as insufferable as ever... very well then. Don't laugh, little one, I know I'm not the best, but..."

Damien cleared his throat softly, and then... he hummed slowly to a song he'd heard in the seventies.

He kept his voice as low as he possibly could. He sounded gruff and worn out, and he lacked any measure of tune- he didn't know how his child was tolerating this after Tenebreux's display.

And yet... she was smiling. A big, toothless grin, her eyes flickering slightly green as she stared up at Damien, little brows furrowed in apparent confusion. Was she remembering something? Damien almost felt it was too much to hope for...

A flash of green momentarily lit up their surroundings, but nothing else around them changed. Damien felt the sinking sensation in his chest alleviating, smiling in Tenebreux's direction.

"It's working," he breathed. "It... It's going to  _work_. We're going to be together, all of us..."

Tenebreux sighed deeply.  **"Yes... it seems so. Please, continue singing for her. This may take a small while, after all..."**

**~** **⸮** **Groundlands?~**

_The heat, the sweat on their bodies, the moisture clinging to them as they slowed their pace, breaths mingling before leaning in for another kiss..._

Anti could do this forever. He felt so  _enthralled_ , so enraptured by the rise and fall of his lover's chest against his own that he barely had the willpower to drag himself away. He fell into a small heap at Celine's side, the mattress bouncing him softly as he instinctively leaned into her touch, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I..." he breathed, unsure of where to start. "I... liked that, a lot,"

"Y-yeah," Celine agreed, her voice a little lower than normal as she panted out her exhaustion, not having expected this to take so much out of her... "I... me too,"

Anti closed his eyes, hand finding hers, entwining their fingers together softly, holding her as close as he could as the world around them seemed to flicker and waver before their very eyes.

"I... I mean, do you want to... talk about it?" Anti asked, sensing that Celine didn't really  _do_  pillowtalk. The moments after he and Dark would do something sensual varied- most of the time, they'd speak softly to each other until Anti drifted off to sleep. Others, there was just a comfortable silence... obviously, Celine wasn't going to be the talkative type.

Celine let out a half-hearted chuckle, closing her eyes somewhat blissfully. "I... no, I don't... I don't really get sentimental about sex, Anti. That's Damien's thing..."

"Right..." Anti swallowed briefly, not really wanting to move from his spot. He wondered vaguely if Jack was still downstairs, stuck in an eternal loop, completely unaware of the fact that he was in his own mind...

"Do you think... do you think she-?"

"I have to believe we did it," Celine murmured, closing her eyes briefly, scrunching them softly together. "I... I can't get a read on the future now, but... but I did  _before_. One way or another, she'll make it. I'll do  _anything_..."

"You really love him, huh?" Anti mused, subconsciously pressing affectionate kisses to Celine's shoulder and collar. "Damien... you've mentioned that he's the most important thing in your life, right?"

"R-right," Celine shivered, the sensation of Anti's lips on her body feeling strange and alien even still. Perhaps she didn't want to believe she was enjoying it, despite her body's reaction stating otherwise. Perhaps she was still scared of love, after so many years of loneliness...

"Hey," Anti sighed, cupping her cheek again. "What's... what's on your mind, Celine? You can tell me anything, you know that..."

"I know," Celine muttered, biting her lip nervously. "But I... don't think I should. I'm not used to these... feelings. I'm sorry..."

"I get it," Anti responded with a small sigh. "I do, I... I understand that affection isn't always the best medicine. So just... let me know what's been bothering you, and I'll help in any way I can, alright?"

"You're too  _sweet_ ," Celine sighed almost immediately. "You're just... not  _real_... how could you be? You're selfless, and caring, and open to anything and... I don't trust it. I want to, but... I can't. Not again. Not after what happened last time..."

"Last time...?" Anti questioned, already knowing what was coming. "You mean, with... with Mark, right?"

"With Mark..." Celine agreed, closing her eyes with a slight huff. "He... he was sweet too, at first. A little shallow, but he  _cared_... he used to be so loving, but after he got into drugs, he... he wasn't the same... I guess I'm just scared of giving myself away so easily again..."

Anti couldn't help but feel a little disheartened. It wasn't her fault- he knew it wasn't a conscious decision not to trust him, but his heart still lurched as he realised that she'd never trust him the way that Damien did. There was nothing he could do to help his relationship with her, because... well, because their past wouldn't allow it.

 _This is the part where the voices usually taunt me,_ Anti mused to himself.  _But they're silent... why are they silent?_

"Anti?"

"Yeah?" Anti murmured, forgetting about the lack of buzzing in his ears momentarily. Celine was biting her lip, looking up at him with apprehension in her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Thank you...?" Anti echoed, not really understanding. "I mean... you're welcome, but... for what?"

"For everything," she clarified, reaching out to brush a few locks of his hair aside. She rolled into him subconsciously, their faces just inches apart, and she was flustered all over again... What was it about Anti that made her feel like a silly schoolgirl again? Why had it taken her so long to want this rush, this high...?

"I just... I haven't grown this close to anyone since M-Mark..." Celine shuddered, pressing her forehead subconsciously into Anti's, craving the closeness she'd abstained from for decades now. "I haven't trusted them, or myself for that matter... but I trust you. Maybe not enough, but... but I trust you more than I even trust Will. I... I'm sorry I can't say more than that..."

"You trust me?" Anti repeated, taken aback just a little by that comment. "I... you're sure I won't hurt you, like he did? I..."

Celine chuckled, shaking her head softly as she felt Anti's arms wrapping around her figure again. "Dear, I  _know_ you'd never hurt me... you were so careful with me, and considerate, and eager to listen to my every word... I'm not scared of you. I can handle anything you're capable of, you're  _nothing_  like my ex-husband... is this what's been worrying you, lately?"

"More than you could ever imagine," Anti admitted, drawing her closer and sealing the space between them with a soft, tender kiss. He felt his heart swell when she kissed him back, moving slowly in time with him, enjoying this lazy embrace for what it was... it had been so long since Celine had felt this way. Since she'd been able to push aside the chaos of her thoughts and just  _live_  in the moment...

They parted with a soft smacking sound, eyes meeting with a new emotion. Hope?

"Let's go see our daughter," Anti smiled at her, pecking her lips one more time before sitting up.

"Yes, let's..." Celine trailed off. "Wait... not yet. There's something I should really... wait here,"

She tugged her dress on quickly, leaving the room without another word. She was a woman of little sentences, but she certainly made each of them count. Anti sighed after her fondly.

She... she trusted him. She believed he'd never hurt her, and... and maybe, she was right. Maybe he really  _wasn't_  capable of turning on her like her previous lover, and that trust alone...

It soothed his heart more than he ever thought he could admit.

**~?~**

"I... my voice is getting worn," Damien muttered with a sigh, shaking his head softly. "I can't keep this up, I... I'm too weak,"

 **"Are you trying to make excuses because you think you're a bad parent?"**  Tenebreux questioned, cocking his head to one side as he raised an eyebrow.  **"Because you've successfully soothed a near-newborn child, and there aren't many who can say they've done that,"**

"She's hardly at her full strength," Damien countered. "She's simply run out of energy... I can see the walls of this place, now. How deeply saturated will she need to be with this glitch?"

Tenebreux shrugged.  **"It is a mystery to me- this _glitch_  energy is not something I'm familiar with. We can only wait-"**

"Well- I don't think we can wait forever," Damien interceded, brushing his daughter's cheek softly. She stared up at him now, obviously aware of his presence- but she seemed to be observing him.  _Watching_ , and analysing him, and Damien felt especially incompetent now. He felt as though she was looking right through him...

Tenebreux's eyes widened.  **"What are you suggesting, Damien? That we leave her here?"**

"No- no, nothing of the sort," Damien scoffed. "Just that... there must be  _something_ we can-"

A sudden flash of green ripped through the mindscape, startling Damien apart from Tenebreux as he caught himself against the wall, cradling his baby protectively. She sniffed, and then she was crying- wailing against his chest as she beat her little fists against his jacket.

Damien didn't know what to  _do_.

"Hush, little one, shh..." he tried to soothe, taking in his new surroundings with trepidation. The walls of the cavern were lit with little green patches of distorted, shuddering energy, and a pair of glowing green eyes were facing him from the other end of the mindscape. They didn't seem menacing- but then, Damien knew from experience that darkness didn't always wear its true colours...

Then... then another pair popped up, and another. Unblinking, unwavering green eyes, surrounding him. Tenebreux was nowhere to be seen...

"W-what do you want?" Damien called out nervously, holding Desiree even closer to his chest. "What a-are you...?"

The eyes blinked in unison. There were seven pairs... seven separate beings. Seven  _voices_?

Damien's eyes widened. "You... you're Anti's-"

The walls of the cavern rumbled, cutting Damien off as the stray glitch fragments started moving of their own accord. They flew to the center of the mindscape, collecting themselves into a singular heap, and- and then, the eyes were no more.

It was the silhouette of a man- a  _very_  familiar man, and Desiree stopped thrashing in defiance almost immediately. Damien's mouth fell open in shock.

He forgot to be afraid as the glitch creature stepped closer, almost as cautious as he felt in its actions, and didn't notice how close they really were until he felt a sharp  _zap_  on his arm.

Their eyes met.  _Bright, green eyes..._

"Anti...?" Damien muttered uncertainly.

The glitch smiled. It reached out to touch Damien's cheek, softly and carefully. He could feel his skin burning where the strange entity's fingers touched him, but he couldn't push it away. It made his cheek feel tight and numb, but it was the  _best_  kind of pain...

Desiree gurgled happily, her voice much stronger now than it had been before. Her eyes were green again, and her skin was gaining colour, and her small lips were parted in a sweet little laugh...

Damien couldn't help but look her over again, seeing her properly for the first time... and she was  _lovely_. She looked as though she didn't know what to make of him, still, but the way her little hands reached to grab at his nose told him one important thing.

She  _trusted_  him.

"You're alive..." Damien sighed in relief, smiling at the petite little figure in his arms. "You're really  _here_..."

       

The glitch tapped his shoulder, holding out its arms and gesturing to the child. He wanted to take her... Damien hesitated for a moment.

"You'll keep her safe, won't you?" He asked, knowing that Celine would outright murder him if this turned out to be a mistake. But something about the glitch felt so welcoming, and warm... it reminded him of  _love_.

The glitch smiled again, nodding warmly. Perhaps it was simply that he reminded Damien of Anti, perhaps it was because he was too trusting... but he felt safe here. He knew that she'd feel safe here, too.

He sighed, handed her carefully to the glitch, his heart leaping a little when Desiree grabbed at his finger and wouldn't let go. She... she'd miss him?

It was almost too much to bear.

"I love you, Darling..." Damien cooed after her, tugging his hand away from her reluctantly.

The glitch appeared to laugh. It smiled, holding the child close to its breast, rocking her carefully on the spot. It looked so  _relieved_... Damien could understand the feeling.

Their eyes met one more time.  _Happiness_...

"Take care of her," he urged, trying not to let himself choke on his words. The glitch didn't speak, only smiling and waving in response, little distorted crinkles by his eyes only growing with joy. Damien's heart warmed as his little girl waved as well.

_Soon... I'll see you again soon, little one. You can count on it..._

**~Groundlands~**

Anti blinked himself awake, suddenly aware of his surroundings. He... he was back in Dark's room, kneeling over her body, arms resting on either side of her. It was a... precarious position. This must have been Celine's doing... she did say she'd lined everything up before.

And Dark was  _smiling_  up at him, reaching up to caress his cheek, her bright blue eyes shining happily in his direction.

"Hi..." Anti breathed, unable to stop the smile from lighting up his features.

Dark smirked in response, brushing Anti's hair out of his eyes. "Hi..."

"Is she alright?" Anti questioned, already knowing the answer. There was no reason for either of them to be smiling if the plan hadn't worked, after all.

"She's doing just fine," Dark agreed, looking curiously at Anti's face. "Darling... your hair, it's... brown?"

"Is it?" Anti questioned, glancing sideways at the mirror, and- Dark was right. His hair had faded completely to the brown he'd used to possess all those years ago, and the wound on his neck was no longer bleeding. It looked half-sealed already, and Anti breathed out in wonder.

"I... it is," he agreed. "Huh... I wonder why that-  _gah_ -"

Dark's eyes flashed with concern. "Anti-?"

 _"It's fine, it's me,"_  he responded, shaking his head. He scrambled away from Dark, hastily searching for his jeans and underwear. Dark looked on in confusion.

"Er... Darling?" Dark asked.

 _"It's Celine,"_  the words tumbled from Anti's lips.  _"Seán can't know what we did to bring the glitch back. He can't know any of it, I... I realised the truth while I was part of Anti's mind. What I did, that night, it... it_ changed _him. It made him paranoid and scared of losing himself in the moment, and all of that worry, it... it must have manifested in Anti."_

Dark's eyes widened. "That... that was why he couldn't resist Jameson? Because Seán had post-traumatic stress about it?"

Anti shrugged, zipping up his fly and reaching forward to tug Dark's dress down over her knees.  _"I think so... I hid away the memories. I feel it's for the best that Seán doesn't know what happened, if it will only bring him pain... I took everything that we did together, consensual and otherwise. I took every mention of it, and... I buried the memories in a place I hope he never searches for. I couldn't let him keep them, not when they had such a devastating effect on him. Not when they prevented Anti from defending himself..."_

Dark swallowed. "I... you're right, Celine. I think it was for the best..."

Anti sighed heavily, shrugging himself as he crept back over to Dark's body.  _"Now let me back in there so you can tell me all about it,"_

Dark smiled softly. "Only if you tell me all about your little adventure as well..."

Anti rolled his eyes.  _"We're not the kind of siblings that obsess over cute boys together, Damien, no matter how you'd like to believe that..."_

"Wh- well, I'm not saying we  _are_ ," Dark argued. "I'm just... curious, that's all."

Anti snorted.  _"Well, if you're so curious, maybe you should have taken the opportunity to meet him instead of me,"_

Dark only smiled fondly. "Oh, Celine... you aren't the only one of us who can manipulate a situation. You spending time with him helped, didn't it? You're smiling again..."

 _"Ha, no, Anti's smiling,"_  he scoffed.  _"He thinks it's hot when we bicker,"_

Dark sighed softly. "Whatever you say, Celine... now, take my hand. I've got some... interesting things to tell you,"

_ "I'm all ears..." _

Anti blinked again, coming to terms with his surroundings again. "Yikes... I kinda feel sorry for Jack, now. Dealing with this shit..."

Dark smiled, eyes shining warm purple. "It's great to see you again, Dear... the  _real_  you,"

"Oh- yeah, my hair..." Anti shook his head, sighing. "But enough about my hair- what about  _you_? Are you alright?"

"I've never felt better," Dark murmured truthfully. "In fact, I-"

"Anti? Hey, we... we need to do something about D-Dark, could you unlock the door?"

Anti let out a weary sigh. "It... wow, it seems like it's been longer than it has, huh?"

"Yes, it has..." Dark agreed. "But you should let them in, Darling... Let them know that there won't be a funeral needed for  _any_ of us,"

Anti smiled, pecking Dark on the cheek as he rose from his place. "I'm so happy you're  _safe_... I love you, Darky,"

Dark chuckled fondly in his direction, propping herself up on a chair and smoothing out her dress once more. "I love you too, Dear..."

Anti opened the door, the look on his face betraying his happiness as Mark looked on in confusion.

"Wh- but... shit, what  _happened_?! Is she okay?!"

"She's perfect," Anti breathed, letting Mark inside the room, smiling as wide as his cheeks would let him. "We... we fixed it."

"But... how?" Mark asked, tears welling up in his eyes. "I... I thought you were  _dead_! Never do that shit to me again, Dark, oh my  _God_..."

Dark barely had time to react as Mark crushed her in a hug, and she settled for patting his back feebly, resting her head on his shoulder.

"It's nice to see you too, Mark," Dark breathed, sounding a little constricted. "But, um... hold on, let me stand..."

Mark reluctantly let go of her, helping her to her feet. Dark never thought she'd see the day that her grandson would cry over her... it was a sign she'd done something right, after all.

Mark looked her up and down, eyes focusing on the baby bump as he struggled to find the words to say. "Is... is she alive?"

"She's better than ever," Dark agreed warmly, this time wrapping her own arms around Mark's shoulders. "I'm sorry for giving you all such a scare, truly... I had to act quickly..."

"Thank goodness you did," Mark breathed, reluctantly letting go of Dark, smiling in teary-eyed relief as he stumbled his way to the door. "I'll let them know you're alright- Doc might want to talk to you about what happened, but... I'm just glad you're okay,"

Dark chuckled softly in response. "I as well, Mark... I'd never have been able to fix this without Anti's help,"

Anti's eyes widened. "But- but it was... also my fault this  _happened_ -"

"No," Dark countered, reaching to pull Anti into a firm, loving hug. "It's  _not_ your fault... now Dear, I... I want to talk to Seán. I'll speak with you later, just... he needs an explanation. You understand, right?"

Anti laughed under his breath, pressing a smooth kiss to Dark's cheek as he stepped back. "I get it... I'll see you soon. And this time I  _won't_ absorb anything,"

Dark smiled fondly, watching the green of Anti's eyes flicker out into pure, soft blue.

Seán blinked, taking a moment to steady himself. "Uh... what just  _happened_?"

"Mark, if you could... give us a moment, please," Dark asked. Mark nodded cautiously, leaving the room. It seemed he understood that this wasn't a conversation that needed to be overheard...

Seán let out a sigh. "Look, I don't... I'm lost. What's going on?"

"I modified your memories," Dark admitted with a sigh, somewhat ashamed of her own actions. "I thought you'd forgiven me, but even so, it... it doesn't change the fact that I hurt you. Your fears were projecting onto Anti, Seán. He... he got hurt, because of them. I needed to do  _something_ , I-"

"You... you took my memories?!" Seán exclaimed. face falling. "But- Dark, I  _trusted_  you-"

"And I trusted  _you_ ," Dark returned, eyes flashing crimson momentarily. "If it was only  _your_ battle I'd have left them intact, but... for some reason, you and Anti are connected more closely than even the other egos. Your actions influence each other directly, and you're both capable of causing the other pain... I love him, with all my heart. I couldn't let him continue to hurt, because of what  _I_  did..."

"You had  _no right_  to take my memories!" Seán snapped, taking a step back. "I... I don't want to do this anymore. Not if you're going to lie to my face about what you took from me. I... we're done here. Don't try to talk to me again until you're ready to... to give them back..."

The Irishman stormed out of the room before Dark could say a single word in her defence.

Dark, strangely, didn't feel as upset as she'd thought she would. She supposed she deserved it- but at the same time, she stood by her actions. She couldn't let Anti go through that again- that cycle of cheating, and regret, and self-loathing, all because of a man that lied about being over what had happened... it was better this way. Better that their lives no longer interacted.

After this child was born, and after the doctors' wedding... they'd never have to talk to each other again.

Dark sighed solemnly. Now, it seemed, she had to tell Mark what she'd done before it all fell apart...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**(This is Tenebreux, he's a sweet boi)**

     


	39. Chapter 38

******~Groundlands~**

"Mark,"

Mark turned on the spot, raising his eyebrows at Seán as he walked purposefully into the room, seeming irritated with something. His eyes were slightly teary, but that could have been left over from Anti, who'd been practically drowning in tears the last time he'd seen him...

Something told him, however, that these tears were very real.

Seán fixed him with a determined, upset stare. "Mark, Dark took my memories, and... and I need to get them back,"

Mark's eyes widened- he... hadn't expected that. But then, he hadn't exactly been at the top of his game recently... "She... took your memories? Wait- which ones?"

Seán's glare only intensified. "Oh, well does it  _look_ like I fookin' know that?"

"Don't get snappy with me, mister," Mark retorted, folding his arms. "I know I spent most of my life not trusting a single word that came out of that demon's mouth, but I know more than I used to now. Everything she does, she does for a reason. If she took your memories, then... there was probably something you needed to forget,"

"Don't take her side in this!" Seán snapped. "I don't give a flying  _shit_  if I needed to forget it, she's got no right to go messin' with my head like that!"

"I think you need to calm down," Robin muttered with a sigh, hands still a little shaky from witnessing what he had earlier. Amy had only just gotten him caught up to speed with the events, and it was a  _lot_ to process...

Seán groaned aloud. "Fook's  _sake_..."

"Look, the best I can do is talk to her and ask her why she did it," Mark relented with a sigh. "I... I don't like putting our friendship on the line like this, but she's  _family_ now. I'm not going to side with either of you until I hear what really went down, so... just, stay down here. With any luck, nobody will come close to dying this time..."

"Hopefully," Amy agreed, gesturing for Seán to sit at the table. "Now we've still got to sort out the final guest list..."

Mark walked upstairs for what felt like the hundredth time today, his muscles only just starting to burn from overuse. He couldn't help but feel a little torn... he trusted Dark, and Dark trusted him. But he also trusted Seán. And despite having known Dark longer, his relationship with Seán had always been on better terms...

But there  _had_  to have been a reason for Dark to do this. He'd seen enough of her memories to know that she didn't do anything without a plan...

He knocked gently at her door. "Hey, Dark?"

"Come in," Dark called without hesitation, sounding only a little resigned. Mark opened the door worriedly.

"Hey, uh... Seán said something about you taking his memories?" Mark muttered, closing the door behind him. He felt that this conversation was best kept secret, at least for now. At least until he determined what should happen next...

Dark grimaced. "Of course he'd enlist you to persuade me otherwise-"

"I offered," Mark interceded, folding his arms. "I just... wanted to know which ones. And  _why_. He's really upset about it,"

Dark sighed, gesturing for Mark to take a seat with her by the bed. "I can imagine he would be, but... Mark, I  _had_  to take them. I couldn't stand by and let another moment pass without taking action after what I learned..."

"Why'd you do it?" Mark insisted. "The  _whole_ truth, Dark. I know your little half-truth game too well..."

Dark laughed humourlessly. "I'd settle for nothing less myself... Mark, I took the night I raped him. I took... I took the moments that I shared with Anti in his body, everything that had made him feel helpless and uncomfortable. He'd told me it was fine, but it wasn't, and..."

Dark let out a shaky breath. "When Anti... when he slept with Jameson all those nights ago, he couldn't control his actions. He was helpless, and he was taken advantage of, and he  _loathed_ himself for something he couldn't help... seeing him broken down like that, I..."

Mark swallowed, starting to put the pieces together in his mind. "You... saw Anti in him, right?"

"No," Dark denied, shaking her head. "I saw... the truth. Seán and Anti are... connected, in a way. A way that doesn't seem to concern the other egos at all. I'd suspected for years that Anti was more than just an ego, and... I was right, after all. He's  _real_. He's... he picks up on the worry, and the fears, and the instabilities that Seán pushes aside, and they make him  _weaker_..."

Dark shuddered, wiping a tear from her eye and blinking the rest back. Mark's expression softened, and he reached to grasp her hand, offering her a reassuring smile. Dark continued softly.

"Seán's fears of being lost in the moment, of cheating on someone he loves, of losing control of his actions... it all manifested in Anti. It made him unable to push anyone away, and I  _couldn't_  let him live with that, not after what happened with Jameson... I don't believe either of us could deal with the heartache..."

"I get it," Mark assured, "I really... I  _get it_ , Dark, I just... what are we going to say to Seán about this? Not knowing is better for him, but... it's still a betrayal of trust,"

"I could remove the memory of learning his memories were taken," Dark suggested weakly. "Though I doubt he'd let me near him, now... I'd already resigned myself to a future where he isn't present in my life. It's better this way, Mark. I... I'm only in the Groundlands at all because of my dependence on Seán. When my child is born, I will take her away from here, and I won't need to return again..."

"You can't just run away from this," Mark frowned. "Sooner or later he'll figure it out on his own. Just because you took his memories doesn't mean there's no evidence left... Signe knows, and they're still in contact, albeit... strained contact. There could be clues around his house, or even clues in the empty spots in his memory... he'll hate you even more if he learns the hard way,"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take, to ensure the safety of my family," Dark finalised with a heavy sigh. "You, and Amy, and Anti and our daughter... and Jason as well, if he so wishes to be part of it. I'd do anything to keep you all out of harm's way, do you understand me?"

Mark bit his lip, nodding his affirmation with a small huff. "Yeah, I... I  get it. Thanks for being honest with me, and I'll... I'll tell him not to worry. I'll say... I'll say that he was traumatised by what happened, and it's best if he ignores it. I just hope... I hope he'll trust me again, after this..."

"I'd rather you didn't get involved, but as you already seem to be..." Dark muttered, "I... I'd appreciate that. Thank you, Mark, and... thank you for your own understanding..."

Mark offered him a weak smile as he stood from his seat, walking over to the door. "You're welcome. Now  _please_ , try not to die up here again, we have important stuff to do..."

Dark smiled, shaking her head fondly. "I'll see you later, Mark..."

The door closed with a soft creak.

Dark sighed, hoisting herself up and walking over to her seat by the mirror. She'd promised Anti she'd check in with him as soon as possible, after all, and time was dwindling... she pressed a hand to her bump, smiling fondly.

_Alive..._

_ 'Tell me what happened in her mind, Damien, you seemed so excited to share the news before,' _

_'Tenebreux and I found her- she was... pale. Sickly. Like her life force had drained away, and... we took turns singing her lullabies and silly rhymes. She was so sweet, and small... she has blue eyes underneath her glitch, Celine,'_

_ 'That makes sense... what happened after the glitch got back to her? Did it... I don't know, was it strange?' _

_'One of the strangest things I've ever witnessed, truly. It was unnerving at first, but it was so familiar... I could feel the love in Anti's heart. I could feel his pain, and his pride, and his envy and his joy... I could see glowing eyes all around us. Then... they merged together, into one. It was_ him _...'_

Dark heard a resounding chuckle in her mind, and smiled as she waved her hand over the mirror.

_ 'So you did meet him after all...' _

_'It wasn't him, it was... his experiences, I think. Everything that shaped him into who he is now, every little touch, every word... every voice in his head was there at once. He... smiled at me. He didn't speak, but somehow I knew I could trust him with anything... I gave him her body. She just seemed to... to come to life, after that. She was so happy...'_

_ 'And then you possessed our body again, right?' _

_'Correct... now I'd love to hear your explanation of why Anti was staring at nothing for about five minutes after you'd finished with him...'_

_ 'Oh, that... it was really nothing, Damien-' _

_'Don't give me that! Anti doesn't just... leave things alone. He asked you questions, didn't he? What did you say?'_

_ 'Well... I just... thanked him for understanding me. It's something that not many people really... do...' _

_'That's progress,'_

_ 'Oh, shut up...' _

"Quiet, you two..." Dark murmured, reaching through the mirror as the image of Anti's room faded again into view. Her hand met his own, and she laced her fingers through his, smiling warmly at her lover.

"Are they talking about me?" Anti asked somewhat excitedly. Dark couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yes, who else? You've managed to win both of them over, you're the only thing I can even stand to think of most days..."

Anti's lips twitched, and he beckoned for Dark to come closer, tipping her chin up through the mirror and kissing her sweetly.

_'You liked it, didn't you?'_

_ 'Well... what wasn't to like? He isn't terrible in bed, you know...' _

_'No, Celine, you know what I meant... you_ liked _it. More than you've liked anything in decades,'_

_ 'Considering our company, I'd say-' _

_'Celine... I'm not a fool. I can feel what you feel. I may not be able to read the future, or create functional landscapes inside of my mind, but... I know my way around emotions. You can't hide it from me,'_

_ '...' _

_'What are you so afraid of, Celine?'_

_ 'I'm afraid... that if I admit what I'm feeling, something else will go wrong. Something... something always goes wrong...' _

_'Nothing will happen this time, I promise it.'_

_ 'What makes you so certain, Damien? What do you feel that makes you think that I...?' _

_'I don't 'think', Celine, I_ know _... I know that I'm not the only one with love for this man. And it's alright if you don't say it aloud, just... you should know that embracing your emotions, your feelings, they're... they're not always going to end in pain,'_

_ 'I'll... I'll try it. Thank you, Damien, I... I don't think I'd ever have healed if if wasn't for this...' _

Dark's lips parted from Anti's softly, and she opened her eyes warmly, greeting Anti's green with a stunningly rich purple.

"Purple is when they're both feeling the same thing, right?" Anti murmured.

"More or less..." Dark agreed, letting Anti lean in for another kiss, then another...

Anti smiled against Dark's lips. "I love you, Darky...  _all_  of you,"

"And I lo-"

Dark flinched as a loud shout emanated from somewhere nearby- but it wasn't on her end. Anti's head whipped to face his door as he furrowed his brows in confusion, clearly figuring that something was wrong.

"What was  _that_?" Anti muttered, reluctantly detaching Dark's hands from his own.

"You should check on it," Dark sighed. "I... I should be going anyway. I've got to eat lunch, or Amy might kill me before cancer gets the chance..."

Anti sighed through a chuckle, kissing Dark one final time. "I'll check it out- go eat, Darky... I'll get Google to update you guys if something goes wrong,"

Dark smiled as Anti stood, walking towards the door. A short conversation, but... a necessary one nonetheless. They'd see each other again. Now that they'd come through this, they were stronger than ever...

Not even death, it seemed, could do them part.

**~Void~**

His arms felt heavy against his sides, stinging just a little as he shifted awake. His spine, his back... his hips felt a little displaced, his shoulders cracked as he moved, and he could feel another's legs entwined with his own beneath the sheets.

Necro blinked himself lazily awake. It hurt, but it was the most  _pleasant_ ache... he felt absolutely, positively exhausted.

It was  _exhilarating_...

"Mh... Presi...?" Necro murmured, turning to face the man sleeping beside him. There was hardly as much blood as yesterday- in fact, the pillow was almost completely untouched, with only a little spillage next to President's eyes. President himself was fast asleep, snoring quietly- he seemed so relaxed in comparison to yesterday...

Necro sighed fondly, wrapping an arm around President's bare torso and snuggling closer to him. Last night... it had been an exciting experience. It was strange, but... he had the feeling it wasn't his first time in the bedroom. He'd experienced this before, he just... couldn't quite place where. It had been such a familiar embrace, and yet...

Yet at the same time, it had felt so  _alien_. Hands roaming where they'd never touched, pressure building up inside, an ache so blissful that he was certain he'd have remembered feeling it before.

It felt  _new_. New, and exciting, and  _special_...

President stirred softly, leaning instinctively into Necro's embrace. He let out a pleased little sigh, a smile inching its way across his face, as he tipped back his bandage. His brown eye flashed mischievously.

"Good morning, Necro..."

"Morning, baby," Necro greeted, moving in to kiss his partner awake. President met him halfway, accepting the embrace sweetly, reaching up to trace his fingers through Necro's wild hair. It reminded him of someone else, someone distant... someone that had used to purr when he touched their hair.

Who was he?

"How was... your sleep?" Necro murmured when they broke apart, making no move to roll away from his position.

"The President slept wonderfully, he thanks Necromancer," President mused fondly, letting Necro kiss gently along his jaw. Necro giggled slowly to himself, letting President roll him on top of his stomach, pressing them both together against the bed. President could feel Necro's warm breaths tumble onto his lips, see those beautiful milky blue eyes shining back at him...

He didn't  _ever_ want to leave.

"I... I greatly enjoyed what we did, yesterday," President breathed in exhilaration, feeling Necro pushing some of his unruly hair aside, the movements so  _familiar_... but President didn't want to remember.

"Me too," Necro agreed, lips twitching in mirth. "It was... new, and... nice,"

"The President would like to do it again sometime,"

"I'd like that," Necro smiled warmly, leaning in subconsciously-

Before they could kiss again, there was a knock at the door. They sprung apart in haste, just as Schneep walked into the room- and he regarded the fusions with a look of amusement.

"Ah... I see zat mein Verlobter's varnings did not hit home, hmm?"

"We were... very careful," Necro insisted, trying his best to hide himself under the sheets. "We knew... the risks,"

Schneep raised an eyebrow, seemingly uncertain of that statement. "I am not quite sure zat you did, but... vell, ze damage has been done, regardless. It seems zat you egos are making a habit of not listening to our vords of advice..."

President frowned, brows furrowing as his mind started to wander... what else had happened? "The President asks what is troubling the doctor,"

"Oh- nothing zat you could have helped," Schneep dismissed with a sigh. "Es ist just... Dark und Anti, zhey... almost lost zeir child..."

Necro's eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

"Zhey are perfectly fine now," Schneep explained quickly, shaking his head. "But it vas quite ze scare indeed... und you are  _certain_  zat you understood vhat you vere getting yourselves into?"

"The President reassures the doctor that he knew exactly what he was doing," President sighed heavily. "The President wishes that the doctor could trust him to know what is best..."

Schneep looked at them pointedly. "I do not know vhether you think zat making zis relationship a sexual vone vas necessary or otherwise, but I doubt zat it helped vith ze goal of zis experiment. Have you spoken to each other, alone?"

"Yeah..." Necro started, suddenly remembering... remembering who he  _was_. Marvin, and Robbie, and... why weren't they speaking to him? Why had he forgotten them so easily? Had President forgotten who he really was, too?

"Yesterday... we split for... a few hours,"

Schneep sighed, shaking his head. "Vell, today you can split again- for  _longer_. You must understand... zis is  _temporary_. Ve do not vant you to grow attached to living like zis,"

"But we-"

"Vhat, hm?" Schneep countered, folding his arms as he regarded President coolly. "You are forgetting vhat you are meant to be doing. I vant you four to split und think about vhat you are really feeling- vhen Anti und I fused, it vas... strange. I could see vhat vas happening, but it vasn't me in charge. Ve vere a different person, und... I am starting to think that mein Verlobter vas right,"

Schneep shook his head. "Bringing ze both of you together like zis... it vas dangerous. You must split apart now- vhile I am hier."

Necro pouted slightly, though he understood the doctor's concerns. Yesterday, he hadn't been able to hear Robbie and Marvin at all- he'd forgotten he was even an amalgamation of personalities in the first place. He felt... different.

_Alive?_

President let out a soft sigh, trailing a hand down Necro's cheek. He offered his partner a weak smile, brushing their noses together a final time.

"The President wants Necromancer to know how much he cares for him, and to remember that even when they are apart, he will  _always_ love him,"

Necro's cheeks tinted pink as he leaned in to peck President's lips one more time. He slowly disentangled their hands, propping himself up on his elbows.

In a small flash, both fusions were gone.

Robbie blinked down at Yan, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He was lying atop the older ego, legs entwined beneath the sheets, the red-haired man's eyes wide in shock. How had he ended up here? Usually, nobody but Host even gave him the time of day, let alone...

"Uh..." Robbie sounded, shaking his head and sitting up. They were in Marvin and Yan's room, on the same bed they'd all slept in the night before... "What...?"

"Heh... I don't really know how I got here," Marvin laughed nervously, disentangling himself from a dazed and confused-looking Host, and sharing a brief, befuddled look with Robbie. "What just... what just happened?"

"The Host is uncertain," Host muttered, clutching softly at his temples, blood leaking profusely from his eyes, dripping down his cheeks. "The last thing that The Host remembers is-"

"The movie," Yan supplied, looking fairly pale. He was gripping Robbie's arm as if he was scared of something, not even aware he was doing it- Robbie let him. He frowned in confusion, but he let Yan keep his hold, almost afraid of shaking him away.

"... Movie?" Robbie echoed in confusion.

"Oh, shit, that's right..." Marvin realised. "The movie! Yeah, but... how did we end up in here?"

Schneep's face dropped. "You... ach,  _nein_..."

"What? What is it?" Marvin asked, scrambling to his feet. "Schneep, why do you look like you're about to tell us we're dying?"

"You... you do not remember  _anything_?" Schneep asked incredulously, eyes darting between the four egos in front of him.

"No..." Robbie frowned, biting his lip. "Nothing..."

Was he supposed to?

"The Host remembers being pushed back," Host shuddered, fingers shaking and lips trembling. "The Host remembers being unable to take control of the situation, he remembers voices, lights, reaching out to hold his lover's hand as he cried out, his voice barely more than a whisper, his eyes unseeing and dripping hot liquid onto his-"

"Host?" Schneep asked, something telling him that this wasn't right. Host's sentences were usually so calculated, they never ran on like this... "Host, are you-?"

"-and The Host was unable to know where he was at the time, all he had rooting him to his place in the Void was Edward's familiar hand upon his own, the voices telling him that everything was going to be-"

Robbie crawled forward, concerned, and tried to reach out for Host's hand. He was shuddering, and Yan had vacated the bed as quickly as he could, holding Marvin close to him as he looked at the scene with knowing, horrified eyes. Marvin's attention turned from Host to his boyfriend, looking him over with concern. What was  _happening_?

"Hey, shh... are you okay?" Marvin whispered, cupping Yan's cheek. The red-haired man was crying against his own will, and he flinched back from Marvin's touch, his eyes closing pitifully. He buried his face in the crook of Marvin's shoulder, and didn't say a word...

Host's hand was still shaking after Robbie grabbed hold of it, and it squeezed around him, Host seeming to grow even more tense at the contact. His recount quickened, his words blurring together, the blood... so much  _blood_ , dripping from both of his eyes...

"-was helpless and afraid, The Host knew that he was alone in the room with the darkness, as all of his memories ushered from him and he-"

Host suddenly stopped talking, his grip on Robbie's hand tightening as his other hand roamed the sheets frantically, finding Robbie's knee and sighing in relief. He let out a choked, shuddering sob. " _R-Robbie_..."

Robbie engulfed him in a hug, holding him tightly as the two of them fell back down on the bed. Host was crying-  _crying_ , and the tears mixed with blood were running everywhere, but Robbie didn't care about that. Host was hurting, and he needed to help fix it. He had no qualms with becoming a little dirty in the process, none at  _all_...

Host's arms enveloped him, pressing his face even further into Robbie's chest as his lips quivered and contorted. That vision, those words, they... they didn't belong to him.

Did they?

They were already fading, like the remnant of a bad dream, and Host could barely remember the phrases that had spilled from his lips.  _Helpless... afraid... darkness..._

He  _hated_  the darkness...

"Host- Host, are you alright?!" Schneep exclaimed, making his way past Marvin and Yan and tapping Host on his shoulder. The blind man seemed unable to let out anything but a whine, still holding onto Robbie, so tightly that if the zombie had blood he'd have left bruises. And Robbie seemed terrified- lost, and scared, and hopeless...

_Hopeless..._

"I l-love you," Host sniffed, his entire face overcome with crimson and wetness, clogging his nose and running down his throat. "I d-don't want you to leave m-me... please don't  _go_..."

"I won't... leave you," Robbie promised again, tears of his own running down his cheeks as he held Host as close as he could. "Never..."

Schneep seemed taken aback, and slightly gobsmacked... he'd noticed something that it seemed nobody else had picked up on. He blinked himself out of his shock, rounding on Host's figure as he stared at the shuddering mess of a man. "Host, you... you are talking,  _normally,_ "

"Th-the Host doesn't know w-what Schneeplestein is t-talking about," Host shuddered out, breathing slowly reverting back to normal, though his heart was still racing... being with Robbie had always helped him.

How had he gotten by before Robbie was here?

"You just spoke in ze first person," Schneep countered, raising an eyebrow curiously. "I... I thought zat you vere cursed-?"

"The H-Host  _is_..." Host muttered, sobbing once more as he breathed in Robbie's scent as best he could. It was tainted, by blood and the smell of cherry blossoms, but beneath that... he could smell the rough, musky scent he was so fond of.

Robbie shifted, peeling away from Host so that he could get a glimpse of his love's face. Red, and blotchy, and covered in blood... he'd need more than extra bandages to stop this mess-

Host immediately drew him back again, not wanting to let him go. His grip was like iron, his hands causing little stabs of pain along his back, but Robbie didn't want to push him away. He wanted to know what was wrong, he wanted to  _help_...

"I love you too," Robbie whispered, wholly unperturbed by Schneep's discovery.

Host seemed momentarily confused. "I-I... The Host does not..."

Suddenly, there was a sharp pain- it felt as though his head was splitting in two, like he was being violently ripped apart, and-

Robbie gasped as Host's startled whimper turned into a distressed scream, hands clutching at the sides of his head as he doubled down, almost hitting directly against Robbie's knee in a way that might've knocked him out if he wasn't careful. Robbie's ears were ringing, Schneep was covering his own- and Host didn't seem altogether...  _there._

"Host?" Robbie tried to urge, reaching out again. "Host, it's... me-"

"Get back," Schneep warned, tugging Robbie's sleeve and gesturing to the other side of the room. " _Now_ , Robbie..."

"But-"

"Vould you listen to me, for  _once_?!" Schneep snapped, suddenly seeming a lot more on-edge and serious about the situation. "Get  _over_  zhere- und do not come any closer, do you hear mich?"

"Schneep, what's going on?" Marvin demanded- Robbie had almost forgotten that he was here. But he remained- arms wrapped protectively around Yan, cautiously stepping further away from the screaming man on the bed. "Why is he-?"

"I vill explain later!" Schneep sighed heavily, giving Marvin a pointed look. "It vould be best to  _leave_ -"

"No," Robbie interrupted, shaking his head. He could  _fix_ this- he could fix what was happening. Host had always calmed down from his troubling moments and panic with a simple touch-

"Robbie, do  _not_ -!"

"Host, it's me..." Robbie soothed, wincing a little at the noise as he tried to caress Host's cheek. It all happened in an instant.

Host cried out in confused anguish, his arm lashing out as if he wasn't the one in control- and Robbie felt the air flow straight out of his lungs as his back hit a bedpost, his upper spine cracking at an odd angle as he crumpled to the ground. The pain, the  _lights_... it all felt so dizzying...

"Robbie!" Marvin hissed, reluctantly leaving Yan's side in order to tend to his fallen brother. "Robbie, hey, listen... you're gonna be  _okay_ , you're gonna-"

Robbie couldn't feel his legs... he couldn't feel his stomach, or his breast, or...  _anything_. There was a sharpness in his neck, and his head felt dull, and the world around him seemed to  _shift..._  it was all turning black. His lips parted slowly, too slowly to make a word...  _Host_... he couldn't hear the ringing anymore...

"Scheiße!" Schneep cursed, looking at Yan desperately, seemingly afraid to move from his spot. "Yan- go find mein Verlobter,  _please_... er vill know vhat to do,"

"Are you  _serious_?" Marvin uttered, eyes shining with tears as he glared up at the doctor. "You're a  _doctor_ , help him!"

"I cannot let zis situation get any vorse!" Schneep retorted, focusing again on Host, who was muttering to himself as if the previous incident had never happened. "Host,  _listen_  to mich! You are still in zhere! You do not have to give in to ze-!"

Host's shouting drowned out Schneep's words, his vocal cords hoarse and sore, but he couldn't express that. Where was he?  _Who_  was he?

Why...

Why couldn't he  _see_?

"I-I... what's happening? Where am-  _ngh_ \- it... it  _hurts_ -"

"You must remain calm- ve vill explain everything, und-  _Marvin, take ihn und get out_!"

_Who was that?_

"He isn't moving!"

"Er ist a  _zombie_ , Marvin, just... go, before zis gets out of-"

_The pain, the voices..._

"R-Robbie?" he spoke, concern welling up in his gut. That name... it was so familiar, and yet... he'd never heard it before.

Had he?

"You have  _no right_  to say his name," Marvin growled, scooping up his little brother's limp form as he backed away towards the door. Yan was gone- gone to find the other doctor, but Marvin didn't know what he was supposed to do. If both doctors were going to be in here with Host, then... then who would take care of...?

His heart sunk in his chest.

"You know he won't make it," Marvin accused, glaring at Schneep from the doorway. "H-how could y-?"

"Out of the way!"

Marvin was jolted softly aside as Dr. Iplier entered the room, his face pale and his eyes wide with shock. He seemed to stumble on the spot when he caught a glimpse of Host, who was writhing slightly on the bed, blood streaming from his eyes, his nose, between his lips... choking on it,  _drowning_ in it...

Doc faltered. "I..."

"Schatz- oh, thank God..."

Doc seemed to shake his head, tears welling up in his eyes as he forced himself to step closer. "H-Henrik, he..."

"It has finally come to pass," Schneep agreed lowly, eyes flickering to Marvin and Robbie again. "I... he hurt Robbie, Liebe- I must tend to ihn before ve have two deaths on our hands, but are you  _certain_  you kann-?"

"Take care of him," Doc urged, swallowing down his fears and gesturing to Robbie. " _Please_ , Hen, save him... I will be fine,"

Schneep looked like he would have argued the point a little further if the situation wasn't so dire- but with one more look at Robbie's weak form he relented, leaning in to kiss his fiance briefly. With the weight of the situation at hand, he'd need it to keep going, Schneep was certain of it...

"Good luck, Schatz," Schneep muttered, racing to the other side of the room as soon as the words had tumbled from his mouth. He didn't look back at the scene, instead fixing Marvin with a menacing glare.

"I told you to get out of here! Marvin, how many  _times_ -?!"

Robbie blinked slowly. "H... Host...?"

"Er vill be fine, Robbie, you must stay vith me," Schneep pleaded, deciding that there was no way he could take Robbie to his office now. He'd have to do this impromptu checkup on the spot...

Doc shuddered as he stepped closer, placing a hand firmly on Host's shoulder. The man tensed in recognition, squinting beneath his torn up blindfold as his lips trembled further.

_Well, shit... here we go again..._

"E-Edward?"

"It's me," Doc agreed with a shaking tone, sitting cautiously beside Host on the bed. "What do you... what do you remember?"

"Y-you sound like... like you're about to tell me I'm d-dying, Edward, I..."

"You're not dying," Doc soothed, swallowing a lump in his throat. "I... I  _promise_ you, Author, it will all be fine... you need not worry. I am going to help you up, and we're going to go to my office, alright?"

Host suddenly shook his head, screaming only intensifying as he clawed at the sides of his face. Blood came away under his nails, but he couldn't see it.

He couldn't  _see_...

"E-Edward, I- I'm blind," he shivered, "w-why can't I... Why can't I see?!"

"I'll explain everything-"

"Why am I  _bleeding_?!"

"Author, please-"

"No!" Host shouted suddenly, his voice barely distinguishable from a growl. He knocked Dr. Iplier's hands aside, pushing himself backwards. "No, no, no!"

Schneep took a deep breath in, shaking his head slightly as he turned Robbie over to check his injury. Tears were spilling from his eyes, and he bit his lip, running a hand over the point of impact.

"E-er has... fractured his cervical vertebrae..." Schneep muttered, frowning at the lack of colour on Robbie's skin. "Es ist... i-impossible to determine ze f-full are of effect, vithout..."

"Are you okay?!" Marvin uttered, tone coming off a little harsher than he intended to- but with Yan standing outside and Robbie losing consciousness, he felt he was entitled to being a little panicked in this situation.

Schneep sighed, sounding a little choked up as he pushed his glasses back on his already drenched nose. "Zis... zis could have been avoided, if I had not... but I vill have time to mope l-later..."

Robbie's lips trembled, his head falling limp to the ground as he stared blankly at the wall. He wanted to turn, to see what was happening- but he could barely even flex his fingers. He unwittingly let out a high-pitched whine, hearing Host's distressed cries, his heart leaping into his throat as the doctor failed to calm him down...

"Author- Author, I only want to help you, do you understand?!" Doc tried reasoning, gripping Host's shoulders to stop him from thrashing so wildly.

"S-shut up!" Host grunted, not talking to anyone that Doc could see. "Quiet, quiet, quiet!"

"Author..."

Host shuddered in place, holding his head in his hands, leaning against the wall and trying his best to breathe through this. The voices, the  _thoughts_... he was alone in a dark room, cold and helpless, and afraid, and-

"E-Edward, please..." he shivered. "I... I n-need you... what's happening to me?"

"You need to  _trust_ me, Author," Doc swallowed, and Host could feel another's hand on his arm. It seemed to mirror his own, and he could smell the familiar scent of sanitiser and iodoform that lingered around the doctors... this wasn't Robbie.

_Where was Robbie?_

"R-Robbie..."

"I need you to  _forget_  about Robbie," Doc interceded harshly, feeling a stabbing pain in his chest as the guilt started welling inside of him. "I need you to push aside your thoughts... can you do that for me?"

Host shook his head violently. "No- no, I need him, I  _need_ \- I... h-ha, I needed  _you_..."

Doc's blood ran cold. He... he remembered, didn't he?

Host was quick to press Doc against the wall, holding him there without flinching, his lips twisted into an unforgiving snarl. He was still crying, still shaking- his hair falling limply over his forehead as he sobbed, seemingly unable to stop.

But he was anything but sad.

"You l-left me..." Host muttered lowly, voice gravelly with pain. "You left me all alone, I trusted you, I  _trusted_  you!"

"Komm, ve must go," Schneep urged, gesturing to the still-open door as he scooped Robbie up, cradling him close to his chest. "Marvin, please... I know zat you think you know better, because you are ze month older- but zis is something zat only myself und mein Liebe can handle. You must leave zhem alone..."

"But-" Marvin started, looking at Schneep with wide eyes. "He..."

"Marvin," Schneep hissed. " _Out_."

"I l-loved you..." Host shivered, pressing his head mournfully into Doc's chest, wrapping his arms around the other ego as if he hadn't been on the verge of strangling him just moments before. "I loved you... you loved me too. You love me too, don't you? You want me, you still  _want_ me, you..."

"Author, I need you to try..." Doc swallowed, looking thoroughly lost on how to handle the situation. "Try to... to think about something happy. Don't listen to the voices. You have to trust that I'm doing what's best..."

"Trust what's best, trust what's  _best_..."

Schneep let out a pitiful, mournful sigh as he slammed the door shut. His fingers seemed especially tense as he knelt quickly to the ground, wincing at Robbie's whine of pain. There wasn't much he could do to help him, he knew- in the best case scenario, he would only be paralysed...

"What the  _shit_  was that?!" Marvin demanded, ghostly pale as he trembled, holding Robbie's limp hand in his own. "Schneep- you'd better  _tell me_  what's-"

_"GO AWAY!"_

Schneep looked as though he immediately regretted his outburst, but he stood by his words, his chest heaving with emotion and his eyes burning with tears. "C-can you not  _see_  zat I am  _hurting_ , Marvin? I v-vant to explain, but... but zis is  _stressful_ , so back  _off_  und let me do mein vork..."

Marvin felt shaking fingers encompass his own, a familiar tan in colour. He reluctantly let Yan tug him to his feet, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend, knowing that none of them were quite over the shock of what had just happened yet...

"S-Sweetheart, I..." Yan shivered, still pale and slightly sickly. "I need to... to talk to you, alone... p-please..."

"Of course," Marvin was quick to whisper, running a hand comfortingly through Yan's hair. "Just... alright, let's go..."

Marvin gave Schneep one last meaningful look before he left the hallway, his hand still clasped with Yan's, looking as though he was scared to let go.

Well. It seemed that at least one couple had benefited from the fusion debacle, even if the other was currently...

But Schneep didn't want to think of that now.

"H... Host, he..." Robbie sounded, eyes scrunched in pain as the tears fell forth without respite. "He needs... me..."

"You kann nicht be serious," Schneep uttered in disbelief. "Robbie, he... he  _hurt_  you, vhy do you continue to vant to see ihn now? I understand zat you love him, very much, but... but surely you can see ze danger?"

Robbie seemed to huff in defeat. "I... know he... didn't mean..."

"Can you move your arms?" Schneep murmured, watching as Robbie attempted to lift his left arm. His fingers twitched, but his elbow didn't seem to be light enough to get off the ground. His right arm didn't move at  _all_.

Schneep sighed in distress, prodding at the skin of Robbie's forearm. Robbie didn't flinch, but he winced, closing his eyes.

"... Hurts..."

"Vell, at least you still have your sensory function..." Schneep shivered. "I... Ich bin so sorry, Robbie, es ist alle mein  _fault_..."

Robbie tried to shake his head, but his neck was stiff and he was stuck in one position... he  _hated_  it.

But he could never hate Host, not for something he wasn't in control of... and the man he'd tried to comfort in there was  _definitely_ not in control of himself.

"No..." Robbie muttered instead, blinking some tears down his cheeks. "Not your... fault..."

"If I had not suggested fusion-"

"Shh..." Robbie urged, scrunching his nose at the sound. "H-hurts..."

"Right," Schneep swallowed. "I... I must admit zat I am stumped. Vithout blood, ze extent of ze damage is invisible, und... und kann you describe deine symptoms to mich? Vhat are you feeling, Robbie?"

Robbie opened his mouth to speak, but was startled into silence by a loud gasp from the end of the hall.

"Wh- Schneep, what  _happened_?!"

"King, go back downstairs," Schneep muttered, shaking his head. "Now is not ze good ti-"

A loud, blood-curdling scream sounded from inside the bedroom, and Robbie whined lowly in his throat.

" _H-Host_..."

King paled, realisation dawning in his eyes. "That's... he's back, isn't he? The Author...?"

Schneep bit his lip as he nodded grimly. "Ja, er... I do not know ze full story. But as you kann see, zhere has been an injury, so I vould advise you to take your leave..."

King seemed to scoff. "I think  _not_ \- I know the guy. Maybe I could-"

 _"No_ ," Schneep interrupted harshly. "You vill  _not_. Mein Liebe has ze situation under-"

"-let him back in! Don't let him back- back away, back away, back away!"

"Author, no-!"

King winced at the noise, eyebrows furrowing at Schneep as he realised what was happening. "You left Author with someone he has intense feelings about? Schneep, I... look, I know you think you're doing what's best, but he needs someone  _else_. I can-"

"What's going on?"

Three pairs of eyes flickered to the other end of the hall, where Anti was emerging from his room. He looked...  _different_. His hair was completely brown, his eyes a little dimmer- his cheeks unusually flushed and his neck wound almost invisible against his skin. He frowned at the scene.

"Robbie?"

Robbie seemed to sob as Anti reached down, caressing his cheeks softly. The glitch looked at the other two egos with worry etched deeply on his face. "What did-?"

"-Host is worried that he might do something unforgivable if- helpless,  _helpless_ , blind and confused, The Author asks only one thing, his lips tremble as he says his- help me, help me  _please_ , The Host requires immediate... ha, ha... you  _love_ it..."

Anti's eyes widened in realisation. "A-Author? But it's been  _years_ , how-?!"

"Ich weiß es nicht!" Schneep growled, losing patience as the others kept coming to see what the ruckus was. "All I know is zat mein patient ist distraught, und mein Verlobter is vith his ex-lover, und I am being no  _help_  in all of zis mess..."

"Look- you should deal with Robbie, I'll talk to him," King tried to say, moving past the doctor- but Anti held him back.

"No- I'll do it," Anti refused. "I can't get hurt, not like you can. I can deal with him, just..."

Anti sighed. "Just... take care of him, Schneep, you're doing the best you can..."

Schneep let out a winded, strangled sigh. "I... danke, Anti... Good luck in zhere..."

"Wh- you're letting  _him_  in but not  _me_?" King huffed indignantly.

"Look at vhat happened to ze last person zat tried to get too close, hm?!" Schneep scowled, nodding down at Robbie's immobile figure. "Anti is ze best choice for zis. But you could do something else for mich... do you know ze pills zat Doc used to give ze Author?"

"Uh... the little blue ones?" King asked, uncertain. "I only saw them, like, twice, but... yeah?"

"Ja- zhose are ze vones, kann you bring zhem to mich? Zhey should still be on ze desk in mein office..."

King swallowed, nodding his head in affirmation. "Y-yeah, I can do that..."

Anti opened the door without hesitation, closing it behind him as he strode forward, shooting Doc a worried look.

Host was pacing-  _Author_  was pacing, his hands in his hair as he muttered to himself, so similar to how he'd used to all those years ago...

Anti hadn't liked Author at first. He was the first ego that he'd met, the first newcomer in the manor that had always been reserved for Dark, Wilford and himself... getting used to seeing him in the mornings and the evenings had definitely taken some getting used to.

King had come shortly afterwards- though after Google arrived they learned that King was older, if only by a number of days. Anti supposed he must have gotten distracted on his way to the manor, probably feeding squirrels... Anti had never cared to ask the real reason why he'd showed up so late.

And then, after what had seemed an eternity, there was the doctor.

He'd looked different back then- they all had. Their hair was shorter, their faces a little more round- Anti could hardly imagine seeing Doc with his hair gelled back and barely any stubble now, but it was a look he'd had for a number of months in the past.

The months where he was with The Author...

"Author?" Anti called, stepping forward from his place by the door. He chose to ignore Doc's panicked expression, breathing shakily out as Author turned in his place. He cocked his head to one side- blood was dripping from every orifice, and he looked...

He looked  _terrible_ , but Anti had seen worse.

"A-Anti?" Author whispered, brows furrowing. "But... but you were just... and... and-"

"You still talk too much," Anti sighed, shaking his head. "Doc, you-"

"This is  _my_ problem, Anti, and I don't need you to solve it for me," Doc grimaced, gesturing to the door.

Author stiffened. "I... I'm your problem...?"

"No!" Doc hushed quickly, expression softening as he gripped Author's arm tightly. "No, you're  _not_ a problem-"

It was too late- Author was sobbing, grief-wracked sniffs and whines, holding himself against the wall as he pounded it slowly with his fists.

" _Useless... story... destiny... hopeless..._ "

"What happened, Doc?" Anti asked, feeling a surge of pity for the man before him. Author hadn't always been this way- for the first year or so of his existence, he was just a regular stuck-up prick of a douchebag, but... but then, he  _changed_.

He'd be up at night, pounding at the walls, shouting that something was coming to get him, screaming when he was touched... he'd cry himself to sleep, and Doc would look after him, and Dark would usher Anti back to his room because he didn't want him to get hurt in the crossfire.

Sometimes, he'd space out as if he wasn't really there. He'd stare blankly at the wall, face barely moving save for a few reflex twitches around the lips, until he started screaming again. Sometimes, he cried. Sometimes, he laughed like a maniac until his voice was hoarse...

The cycle hadn't lasted long before there was a change.

Author had been broken, so someone else had taken his place. His eyes were red and bloodied, his hair turning blond, his black button-up shirt traded for a long, modest trench coat.

He wasn't The Author, that much was clear, but... his memories lingered just long enough to recognise the doctor as someone he'd cared for. And so Host had continued to date him, but they were never  _really_ in love.

Not like Doc and Author had been...

"I think... I think that fusing with Yan m-might have brought back his memories..." Doc uttered, wiping harshly at the tears in his eyes. "H-he... he's having a schizophrenic break, just like you did, but... but this is more difficult. You only had one identity to worry about, but he..."

Author's fist was starting to leave dents in the plaster as he gritted his teeth, practically slamming himself against the wall now.

"-all your  _fault_ , he's  _gone_ , you... want to see him, I'm  _sorry_ , The Host is-"

"Host is still in there, isn't he?" Anti shuddered. "And... and what happened to Robbie?"

Author flinched terribly, banging his head against the wall. "Robbie-  _Robbie_... The H-Host needs..."

"Stop that, Author," Doc urged, pulling Author away from the wall before he could break anything else in his state of psychosis. "Robbie doesn't matter now, only me and Anti... remember us, Author? What were we doing yesterday, can you tell me that...?"

Anti raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you-?"

Doc shook his head, gesturing for Anti to be quiet. Author had quietened, thinking...

"I... we were sitting in the lounge, and... and I w-was... writing. We heard a noise, and you went to investigate, and... and you didn't come back. Why didn't you come back, wh... why weren't you there for me?!"

"I'm here  _now_ ," Doc affirmed, cautiously reaching to hold Author's hand. The man flinched at the touch, but accepted it regardless. He shivered, letting out a whine of resignation.

"W-why can't I see...?"

"Nobody knows that," Anti supplied softly, letting out a small sigh. "Nobody... we just learned to live with it."

"B-but without my sight, how can I w-write? What am I going to- to... to do... h-hah, what will I  _do_..."

The door burst open, startling the occupants before they realised it was only King. Doc visibly relaxed, holding out a hand and taking the box of pills that King had brought- it seemed that at least Henrik had enough of a brain to know what to do in this situation...

The other ego seemed to be taking in his surroundings. The room was nothing short of a mess...

"Author? Hey buddy, it's me," King tried to introduce himself, and to his credit Author almost smiled. But that smile quickly turned into a grimace, and he leaned against the wall, bloodied eyes staring straight ahead.

"I see..." King sighed vehemently. "I... look, I can keep everyone downstairs a little longer but they're gonna want to see what's-"

"Thank you, King, I'd appreciate that," Doc interceded hurriedly. He summoned a glass of water, holding it to Author's lips. "Author, I need you to take this..."

Author nodded grimly, grabbing the little pill like it was hardly the first time he'd gone psychotic. He downed it with a little water, gulping as some of the liquid dribbled from the sides of his mouth. He handed the glass back shakily.

"I-I want to go to bed, E-Edward..."

"I'll help," Anti offered, moving to open the door- but Doc shook his head.

"No, no... he can't go to Host's room, it'll set him back on his recovery. We need... we need a place he's never been before. Somewhere that won't interfere with his memories..."

 _"Why?"_  Anti asked incredulously. "Don't you  _want_ Host to come back?"

"It's not that, and you  _know_  it," Doc muttered darkly. "It's...  _personal_ , Anti. If Dark forgot who he was, and then came back four years later like nothing had changed, you'd want him to stay a while as well. I have some things I need to discuss with him... I need to break certain news to him..."

Anti bit his lip. "You have to tell him about Schneep," he finalised.

"Yes," Doc agreed. "That... among other things. But I will need another room to set him up in..."

"I could make one," Anti suggested. "Or we could hijack Google's- he doesn't use it for anything anyway. Listen, you... you don't need to do this alone-"

"As a matter of fact," Doc interrupted, holding up a hand. "That is  _exactly_  what I need to do. Author's unfinished business is with me, and it only concerns myself and Henrik. The only other person who I'd trust with this is Dark, and... I'm sorry, Anti. Not this time..."

Anti let out a frustrated sigh, but relented. The doctor was right, but... he didn't want to accept that. He felt a connection to Author, an understanding- surely he could help in some way?

But he digressed. "Right, you're the boss... I'll whip up an extra room... or two. I doubt Marv and Yan will want to stay in this one again..."

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"M-Marvin..." Yan sobbed immediately upon closing the door, burying his face in Marvin's shoulder. They'd gone immediately over to Halter's place when Schneep had dismissed them, and Marvin had glared at Silver until he relented and gave up his room for them to talk in.

"I'm here, baby, I'm here..." Marvin soothed, his heart aching just a little as Yan's cries reached his ears. "I want you to tell me all about it, alright? Are you okay?"

"I d-don't know..." Yan sniffed, shaking his head. "I d-don't kn-know..."

"I've got you," Marvin reassured, wrapping his arms around Yan protectively. "I won't let anything bad happen, not anymore... is this because of President?"

Yan barely managed to incline his head, but a whimper of 'yes' made its way from the older ego's lips.

"What did Host do to you?" Marvin asked, fire burning behind his eyes just thinking of how he'd make that sorry excuse for an ego pay. For what he did to Robbie, for what he did to  _Yan_...

"N-no, it w-wasn't..." Yan tried to speak, but he could hardly form the words in between his sobs. He slumped against Marvin in defeat, his tears soaking through Marvin's shirt. "It wasn't h-his fault..."

"There was nobody else in that fusion, Yan-"

"B-but there  _was_!" Yan denied, shaking his head frantically. "There w-was, and it was s-so  _scary_ , because I th-thought I was alone and lost, I- I couldn't see anything, and there were v-voices, and... and screaming. S-so much  _screaming_..."

Yan whimpered aloud, clutching at his head, breaking free of Marvin's hold for a moment. "I- I... I wanted to give up... I wanted t-to end it so  _badly_ , I... I couldn't see you, I couldn't  _feel_... I could only hear H-Host shouting, and a r-ringing in my ears..."

Marvin genuinely didn't know what to do. The last time he'd had to comfort Yan, it had ended with hastily exchanged remarks and poor communication, and a harsh break that had lasted for over two months... Marvin didn't want that to happen again. He didn't want to ruin this, he didn't want to make Yan feel any  _worse_...

He hesitantly reached out again, cupping Yan's cheek and lifting his chin so that they were face to face again. Yan's eyes were red and blotchy, a little bloodshot, puffy against his cheeks. The lines on his forehead creased together, and his hair matted with sweat to his scalp...

"You... look terrible," Marvin sighed softly. "Sit, please... I had no idea this would hurt you so much, I- I'm sorry, baby, I'm so  _sorry_..."

Yan shook his head, closing his eyes in response to Marvin's apology, almost as if he didn't want to hear it. "It w-wasn't your  _fault_ , M-Marv, it was  _mine_... I wasn't good enough for you, a-and... and I... I paid the price for that,"

" _No_ ," Marvin interrupted insistently, guiding Yan to Silver's bed and sitting them both down on the edge. He took a moment to smooth out Yan's bunched up skirt, to adjust his shirt, to wrap an arm around his lover's shoulder and bring him closer. Yan looked absolutely terrified...

"I  _never_  thought you weren't good enough for me," Marvin muttered, "I  _love_  you... you're the most genuine and caring person I've ever met. You don't try to pretend to be something you aren't, and I  _appreciate_  that... I feel  _safe_  around you. Like you're the only person I can really trust with anything, and..."

Marvin let out a sigh. "And... I know we've had our rough patches, but  _none_  of that was your fault. All this time, I... I shouldn't have let you believe that you could fix everything by changing. I never had a problem with you, I... I only ever had problems with  _myself_ ,"

Yan sniffed, fingers clenching around Marvin's own as he buried his face in Marvin's chest again. He didn't seem to know how to handle the weight of this apology- and that was  _okay_. Marvin certainly never felt able to handle a compliment, or an assurance, or any measure of praise...

He was foolish to think he was the only lost, insecure ego in this relationship.

"W-when I flinched at your knives, I- I... that was because of my relationship with Anti, not with you," Marvin continued, wiping away at Yan's tears. "Because I l-love how skilled you are, baby, I always feel so proud when I see you handling weapons, I just... it was my own refusal to solve my problems that made me distant. It was  _nothing_  to do with you..."

Yan let out a low whine, but didn't try to object.

"And w-when I didn't like you calling me Senpai," Marvin swallowed, "it wasn't because I didn't like you, it was... it was because I didn't want to be objectified like that. I'm  _honoured_  to be your Senpai, baby, I really am, I just... took it to a dark place, and that wasn't fair on you..."

"It m-made you uncomfortable," Yan denied, sobbing a little into Marvin's shoulder. "I shouldn't have k-kept saying it..."

"I was being petty just using that as an excuse," Marvin clarified, lifting Yan's chin again. "All of our problems, all of our struggles, they... they all just came from me.  _My_  interpretation, and... that's not  _fair_ , Yan. You're  _amazing_ , and I never want you to think otherwise again, do you hear me?"

Yan let out a pitiful laugh, meeting Marvin's eyes with a measure of trepidation. "Y-y'know... I've been telling you the s-same thing, for years..."

Marvin smiled sadly, using his thumb to brush away Yan's tears. "I know... and I... I know it'll be hard to break through, but we can  _do_  this. We both have days where we feel like life is shittin' on us, and we both take that to heart, and... that's just how we are. But  _we_  know we'll be fine in the end, no matter what we feel at first. We... we just need to remember..."

Marvin interlaced their fingers, holding Yan close to him. This was one of the first times that he wouldn't have called Yan pretty, and... and that was alright. That was  _normal_. They didn't need to try and pretend everything was perfect, wear masks to hide how they felt from each other... sometimes, admitting that you look like hell could fix the situation more than any lies or coverups could hope to.

"We need to remember that we'll always be there for each other," Marvin finished, tears of his own brimming in his eyes. "Through everything, because we  _love_  each other, and we love  _us_... and I won't give up on our relationship,  _ever_  again..."

Yan bridged the gap between them softly, almost hesitantly- his lips were chapped and a little bloody, but Marvin found he didn't care. He kissed Yan with passion, his nose buried in the damp skin of Yan's cheek, catching tears on his cheek.

It was messy, and wet, and terrible, and he  _loved_  that.

Suddenly, Yan broke away. He winced, pressing a hand to his head, eyebrows scrunched together as if he was in pain. Marvin held his other hand comfortingly, sighing softly at the way Yan was trembling.

"Yan, I... I don't know what it is you're seeing, and I don't mind if you don't want to tell me... but I'm here for you. I'm not going to leave you, and I'm not going to hate you... I'm going to love you until the day we fade forever, and  _then_  some. I promise you... we're better than what we've been telling ourselves. We've been chasing the happiness we already had, just... overthinking it all."

Yan chuckled nervously. "Overthinking... seems right. I just... w-what I saw, when we were President, it... it was chaos. There was so much  _noise_ , and words blurring together. I could... I could hear everyone's story unfolding at once, at the same time, and... it was  _horrible_. I w-was shouting out, and Host was screaming, and... there was something else there. Something... something dark. It was like it sucked away all of my  _hope_ , and..."

Yan sniffed, shuddering on the spot. "I- I shouldn't have gone back again... I should have said something, w-we... we might not be so b-broken right now if-"

" _Don't_ ," Marvin urged, hugging Yan as tightly as he could. "Don't worry about what could have happened, because... because it didn't happen, and that's okay. You know why?"

"W-why?"

"Because we're  _here_ ," Marvin finished. "We  _made it_ , and... and we did everything we could. I'm confident that whatever happened to Host, it... it wasn't because of you. By the way Doc and Schneep were acting, I don't think... I don't think it was the first time,"

Yan shivered. "B-but Robbie-"

Marvin's heart seemed to sink.  _Robbie_...

"He... he shouldn't have tried what he did," Marvin swallowed. "He... put himself at risk, and... it's shitty, but that wasn't your fault.  _None_  of this was your fault..."

Yan couldn't seem to take that in his stride, sobbing again and pulling Marvin close to him in a bone-crushing hug. Marvin was all too glad to accept it, smiling in relief as Yan's shakes started to die down. He patted Yan's back softly.

"I love you," Marvin reminded, kissing Yan's cheek and sighing at the inevitable aftertaste of tears on his lips. "I love you, so  _much_..."

Yan let out a shuddering breath, resting his head on Marvin's shoulder. "I l-love you, too..."

**~0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Robbie, kannst du hear mich?" Schneep asked worriedly as he lay Robbie's limp body on the examination bed in his office. He'd never done anything like this without Doc- and though he felt fairly confident in his own abilities,  _something_  was wearing down on him and making him panic like nothing else...

It might have been that his husband-to-be was dealing with a possessive ex-lover. It might have been that his brother was hurt and needed to be tended to- it might even have been remnant of the terror he'd experienced a mere hour earlier when Doc had told him Dark lost the baby...

He supposed he had valid reasons to be upset, but it didn't change the fact that he felt guilty... without his influence, none of this would have happened. Marvin and Yan would have gone through normal couples therapy, and Robbie's relationship with Host (and his health on top of it) wouldn't have been compromised...

Robbie's fingers twitched against Schneep's hand, the most comfort he could provide in his current state of tetraplegia, and the doctor unwittingly let out an anguished huff.

"I'm... fine," Robbie tried to say, but Schneep didn't want to hear it. He wanted to see  _results_ , and he wanted to know  _facts_ , and... and maybe it was dealing with psychosis in general that had him on edge. There was no definitive answer in cases like this- no way to look at an x-ray or a list of symptoms and treat the patient accordingly. Psychological issues, they were always rather... messy.

But this... this fractured spine, he could do something about. Maybe not something pleasant, but...

"I must put you in a neck brace," Schneep sighed, summoning what he needed and wincing in sympathy when Robbie's eyes scrunched close. The brace didn't suit him, but then... well, a neck brace doesn't usually suit anyone.

And anyone wearing a neck brace in the first place has more things to worry about than their appearance, that's for sure...

Robbie relaxed when Schneep removed his hands, staring up at him with milky eyes that seemed so full of pain... and the worst part of it all was that the pain wasn't physical. Host had lashed out- whether he'd meant to or not, he'd struck Robbie, and now Robbie was facing two alternatives... live on as a slow-moving, slow-talking paralysed zombie, or...

Or die.

Schneep didn't want to say that aloud- he didn't even want to think of it, but he knew it was going to boil down to that choice. Not even egos could heal from everything, and sometimes the only way to fix a grievous injury was to let yourself go. Google was a firm believer in this practice- Doc as well, but... Schneep had never been able to contemplate it.

"You're... crying," Robbie murmured, fingers twitching against Schneep's arm again.

"Ach, how could I not?!" Schneep shivered, eyes burning with tears that threatened to spill in waves down his face. "Zis is alles just... just  _building up_ , und I do not vant to lash out, but..."

Robbie frowned, closing his eyes softly as he let himself relax his neck onto the pillow. "Talk... to me..."

Schneep let out a shaky breath. "W-well, I... I do not know vhere to begin vith zis- just vith Author being back Ich bin more stressed zhan before, und... ach, you do not know about Author, do you?"

Robbie sighed in denial. He'd caught the gist of it, he really had- he'd known that Host hadn't always been the man he was now, but... he'd been told that Author would never be coming back. He'd been told that Host was here to stay, and...

And he felt that Host hadn't been lying. It seemed that neither of them had expected this to happen, not really...

"No..." Robbie muttered quietly. "Do... you?"

"I did not know ihn personally, nein," Schneep shuddered, gripping Robbie's hand despite the zombie being unable to hold him in return. "But vhen Doc und I started dating, ve... ve talked about his previous relationship vith Host. Er told me about Author... it has been years since Author left zis Void. Ze only egos here vere Dark, Vilford, Anti, Doc, und King..."

Robbie blinked, tears starting to bundle together, glassing over his eyes and making it hard to see. He blinked them aside, wanting to know more about the man his lover used to be. More about the man he'd become, once more...

"Author vas... controlling," Schneep continued softly. "He vas egotistical und confident, und dramatic... er loved to read, und write, und vas always brimming vith new ideas..."

The doctor shivered once more, a single tear falling to his lap as his hold on Robbie's hand tightened. "Doc had loved ihn, so deeply... ze pain in his eyes vhen he told me, it... it vas all too real. I suppose zat I've always feared ze moment Author vould return..."

Robbie gulped quietly, the brace starting to itch against his neck. "Doc... loves you..."

"I know zat," Schneep replied, still seeming troubled. "I just... know zat ze Author does not. Und if something vere to happen, Ich... I..."

Robbie smiled as genuinely as he could up at Schneep, flexing his fingers once more. "I think... both of... us need... to relax..."

"Hmph," Schneep sighed to himself, standing from his seat. "Es ist vhat ve all need in zis vorld... but I cannot talk about mein own problems vhen you are... vhen you are hurt like zis..."

Robbie's lips turned downward. "Schneep... you know you... can trust me... with anything?"

"Zhere is nothing else to say," Schneep sniffed, wiping his face with a conjured rag, tossing it aside and taking Robbie's hand again. "Ze problems are not many, zhey are just... just veighing too much. I... I vill send Chase up to see you, vhile I talk to Doc about ze next course of action... Ich bin  _so_  sorry, Robbie, I-"

"Don't be... sorry," Robbie muttered defiantly. "Just... help him. He needs... help..."

Schneep couldn't help but sigh. "Oh, Robbie... you really are ze sweetest of all of us..."

Robbie's lips twitched a little, but he didn't say another word. His eyes, blank as they were, told Schneep everything... he only cared about Host. He wanted to know that Host was alright, and if Schneep had been in his position, he'd want to know the very same thing.

Robbie closed his eyes as Schneep left the room, trying not to burst into tears.

_Host... He needs me, and I need him, and... this is all a mess. I have to stay strong, I have to get through this..._

Robbie didn't know when he'd be able to move again- by how Schneep's lips had quivered just minutes before, he had hardly a hope he'd heal over from this. But he couldn't hold it against Host. He couldn't hold this against any of them...

"I love... you," he sniffed, his lungs feeling tight in his chest. "No matter... what..."

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Do you want to talk about it?" Anti asked, observing Doc as he paced nervously around the room. Anti had built it in seconds- branching from the end of the hallway, and Author was currently curled up in bed, only moving to thrash about every four or so minutes. He seemed to be calming down, slowly but surely... was this what Anti had been like when he'd slipped into psychosis?

"Of c-course I want to talk about it..." Doc muttered, slumping in his seat with his head in his hands. "I don't know what I'll  _say_... I've barely managed to write my vows, and now I have to explain to someone I haven't seen in four years that I'll be married in under two weeks' time... I need Henrik,"

"I'm sure he'll be here as soon as he has... uhm, is it safe to say the name?" Anti asked carefully, eyes flickering over to the bloodied-up man tangled in the sheets.

Doc shook his head. "Author is not sleeping deeply as his posture suggests- he's alert and awake enough to hear everything we're saying. It would be wise not to mention him, but... but I understand your concern. I'm not sure what happened, but... my best guess is that certain people tried to help a situation they knew nothing about, and... got direly hurt in the process..."

Anti remembered Robbie's broken little figure, lying on the ground outside the room as Schneep hurriedly checked him over for injury. He didn't know what was wrong, and he'd never found out- and the suspense was starting to get to him. But at the same time, he couldn't leave to find out what was wrong- Doc needed him in here, whether he wanted to believe it or not.

Author cried out softly in his sleep, and Doc instinctively reached to grasp his hand, guilt flooding his features as he did so. Anti knew what was bothering him.

Author and Doc... they'd been in love once. They'd been sappy at the dinner table, they'd used to share each others' rooms, they sang cheesy couples' songs on karaoke nights, and they weren't exactly quiet after-hours... It had seemed like forever, when Anti knew it couldn't have been more than five months in reality. But they'd been happy together.

It made Author's descent into madness all the more heartbreaking...

Doc had tried- he'd tried so hard to be there for the man he loved, but Author had fallen away from him too soon. There was no farewell. No goodbye, only... only Host, blind and confused. Doc had latched onto him as a way of coping, and for the first few months, he hadn't wanted to believe that Author was really gone...

But it was in the little things. Host didn't read anymore, when Author spent most of his time with his nose stuck in a book. Host didn't like to mix gravy with his potatoes, and preferred carrots over peas. Host spoke in the third person, objectively, always narrating and never living in the moment...

Host was just... a different person altogether.

Anti remembered finding out about the split- and at the time, it had been devastating. He'd already moved out by that point, when he'd been visiting Dark and had asked why Host wasn't joining them for lunch. The mood had soured quickly, and Doc had looked as though he was close to choking up... Dark then explained to him that some relationships just aren't meant to last. He'd gotten all wistful about it, and...

Come to think of it, maybe Dark was speaking from experience, too.

He'd gotten over it eventually. By the time Schneep had arrived in the Void, he'd been happy and healthy enough for a number of months that he was willing to try again. If Anti hadn't been so caught up in his own head, listening to his own fears on repeat, he might have been proud...

But that was history. A painfully relevant history...

There was a cautious knock on the door.

"Liebe? Is zis a good time to...?"

Doc sighed in relief, sharing a meaningful glance with Anti as he rose from his place.

"Of course, Love, let me-"

Author shivered. "E-Edward, where...?"

Doc's face fell even further. This... this wasn't easy for him, Anti knew. He smiled back, albeit a little weakly, and sighed as the doctors vacated the room.

"Just you and me, buddy..." Anti muttered, blinking in the bright light of the room. Anti hadn't exactly wanted the lights to be neon in brightness, but after a half-hour of Author crying about darkness, he felt it was the least he could do to make this place homely... who knew how long Author would have to stay in here, away from the others?

Who knew...?

Doc sighed as he closed the door, immediately leaning into Henrik's embrace and shivering on the spot. He felt weak, and cold, and terrible- as soon as his facade dropped, it seemed that all the life had drained from his movements.

Henrik held him tighter.

"O-oh my  _God_..." Doc sniffed, not even trusting his lips to form the right words. "I d-don't- Henrik, I..."

"I understand," Henrik swallowed, giving Doc's shoulders a comforting squeeze. "I really do, Schatz, I... Ich bin feeling low as vell. Zis turn of events has not been kind, to anyone..."

"How's Robbie?" Doc muttered, remembering how limp and cold he'd seemed just passing through that doorway... "What happened?"

Henrik sighed. "R-Robbie, he... he tried to comfort ze Host, despite mein varning. Host struck ihn backwards, und he hit... er ht ze post of ze bed. I concluded zat he has fractured his cervical vertebrae, though I do not know precisely vhich vones, und... er seems to have lost all mobility,"

Doc shuddered in place, running a hand through his hair. "Christ... I- I had no idea this would-"

"None of us did," Henrik assured him, leaning in with a sigh and pressing a kiss to Doc's lips. It was a reminder, if nothing else. It helped Doc think of something other than the trauma of his past, and that was certainly good enough in his books.

"I trust you," Henrik stated, eyes flicking to the door he knew that Author was behind. "Und I vill help you, in any vay I can... I know zat zis von't be easy for you, und I vant you to  _tell_ _mir_ if I am being overbearing- alright?"

Doc let out a breathless sigh. "A-alright... God, I love you..."

Henrik smiled briefly, kissing Doc once more. Something about the severity of the situation seemed to send adrenaline pumping through their veins, and they held each other for a few extra moments, cherishing the small break from reality that they'd been given.

"Ich liebe dich so," Henrik murmured in agreement, reluctantly tearing himself away from his lover's body despite every fibre of his being wanting to run away with the man. "I must... I must make a decision regarding Robbie. Vhat vould you suggest?"

Doc's relieved expression darkened, and he shook his head.

"You know what I'd suggest, and... I'm not ready to give that verdict right now. We need to calm ourselves, and get a grip on the situation, and... and then we'll talk about it. He's... he's stable aside from being... well, paralysed, right?" Doc asked worriedly.

Henrik bit his lip. "Ja, he... he seems perfectly able to continue. I vill... let family in to see him. Zhey vill most likely vant to know ze full story..."

Doc sighed, holding his head in his hands. "This was all... so much easier to manage before everyone arrived. When it was a private affair, but now..."

He swallowed nervously. "Now, I suppose, it's time to stop hiding... we'll never heal from this if we keep it under lock and key, and... maybe this will bring us all closer. I suppose only time can tell..."

Henrik kissed Doc's cheek as he moved away, reluctant to let go of his love's hand. "Ve vill make it, Schatz. I  _vill_  marry you next Thursday, und I  _vill_  take meine sweet time vith you after ze fact..."

Doc chuckled breathlessly, shaking his head fondly at the retreating form of his fiance. "I don't doubt that at all..."


	40. Chapter 39

**~Void~**

"He'll be waking up again soon..." Doc muttered, pacing around the room again with his hands in his hair, fiddling with the individual strands as if that would distract him from the scenario at hand. He knew it was hopeless- he knew that the sinking feeling in his gut wouldn't cease while Author was still here, in the dark and under the assumption that everything was fine...

It had been years. It had been  _years_  since they'd even spoken, let alone...

"You've got to calm down," Anti tried to advise, standing from his seat and tapping Doc on the shoulder. "I know, rich coming from me, but... worrying about this is only going to stress him out more,"

"This isn't like what you and Dark experienced, Anti," Doc shuddered, meeting the older ego's eyes cautiously. "This... this could go very, terribly wrong if I don't make every word count, and I... I'm not  _ready_  to talk to him again. I feel like anything that I say can and will be used against me, and... it's not just  _my_  relationship at stake here. If I don't fix the situation, R-Robbie will..."

Anti winced, remembering Robbie's pained expression, lying on the floor... Doc wouldn't tell him what happened, only that it was something the zombie would never heal from naturally. Anti had decided that Doc needed his presence more than Robbie did, though it was heartbreaking to imagine the little zombie in such a state...

He knew that the only people Doc trusted right now were Schneep, Dark, and himself. And Robbie... well, he had enough brothers clambering for his attention without adding himself to the mix. Besides, he was a familiar face, or rather... a familiar... presence? Author would recognise him when he awoke, and if nothing else, Doc seemed to agree that familiarity would assist in calming his ex-lover down enough to tell him the truth.

"He can't stay mad forever," Anti soothed, shaking his head. "Not while you guys are working so hard to keep him stable... I was cleared up just fine after an hour or so, remember?"

"It was your first time, and you had no resistance to the medication," Doc huffed. "Author, he... he was fighting himself for months before he gave in. And he was f-forced to be this way, it wasn't natural... not like your psychosis was..."

Anti sighed, biting his lip in frustration. "I... I want to be comforting, but if the past three years have taught me anything, it's that comfort doesn't always work when you want it to... so just know that I  _believe_ in you. You're only trying to do the right thing here, you don't need to feel guilty- and don't try to tell me you don't because I  _know_  you do... none of this was something you could prevent."

Doc seemed to laugh nervously, slumping in defeat against the wall. He fixed Anti with a pitiful gaze, tears still welling in his red eyes.

He tried so hard to act like this wasn't affecting him, but... but Anti knew emotional trauma when he saw it.

"If I... If I'd never let myself get involved," Doc swallowed, shaking his head. "If I'd resisted my feelings, then... then we'd never have started dating. He'd never remember us being together, he'd never..."

Anti made a noise of indignation. "Hey-  _no_ , that's such a  _useless_ waste of worrying... you're mad at yourself because you let yourself fall in love, and that's... it's something I struggled with for years. It's not the best coping mechanism, alright? Trust me,"

"But that's why it hurt so much to... to watch him go," Doc shivered, grabbing his hair in fistfuls. "Because of my s-stupid  _heart_... and just as I think I've moved on from it, and I'm ready to take the next step with my other, he f- _fucking_  shows up again and I..."

"Don't stand up," Anti warned, forcing Doc to sit back down. Author slept on, blissfully unaware of the little dilemma unfolding just feet away from his bed. Doc didn't seem to appreciate Anti's advice.

"You don't know what's best for me," Doc uttered darkly, glaring up at Anti when he refused to let him go.

Anti's eyes narrowed. "I'll leave your love life alone when you do the same with mine- and I think I  _do_  know what's best. At least... in this situation, I do. You're beating yourself up over something that wasn't your fault, and once you acknowledge that it's irrational, you'll feel better about it,"

"You don't  _know_  that!" Doc hissed. "You don't know a  _thing_ -"

Anti only regretted elbowing Doc in the side a little bit. In fact, perhaps he didn't regret it at all- he was mildly infuriated at the very least, and the doctor was hitting his last nerves... so soon after almost losing his baby, he didn't have time for this shit. He should be with Dark, talking to her and telling her he loves her, and cherishing what must have been the fiftieth chance they had, but  _no_.

He was here, helping Doc prepare to talk to the man he used to love, out of the kindness of his heart...

It was almost ironic, in a way. It was as if being here with Author was bringing out the best in him- bringing out the happy, smiling little idiot he'd used to be all those years ago... and yet, it was only bringing everybody else pain.

"Listen here, Doc," Anti practically snarled, shoving his thoughts aside. "I've known both of you for as long as you've lived here, and I've known Author longer than you could even hope to imagine. If anyone here can help you, it's me, and I don't  _appreciate_  your  _fucking_ attitude... I'm only trying to help you. Why are you so  _reluctant_  to accept that?"

"I'm hardly  _reluctant_ ," Doc muttered, not meeting Anti's eyes. "I'm... I'm  _scared_ , isn't it obvious? I've kept our relationship secret from everyone but you, Dark, King and Henrik, and I've let this guilt just  _boil_  inside, and... and every time Host ever fell into ruin, I felt it was  _my_  fault, and..."

"I'm not trying to tell you it's wrong to feel threatened," Anti interceded, just a little more kindly than before. He supposed that two people losing their temper here would never be productive, and for once, Anti was the one that needed to keep a level head... it was... humbling, in a way.

It was moments like these when he felt he really had matured since he left.

"I know..." Doc sighed. "I... I'm sorry, Anti, I know I'm overreacting-"

"You're not overreacting," Anti refused, shaking his head. "Dude, seriously? If my ex-boyfriend from four years ago turned up when I was about to be married, damn right I'd worry about it... I just want you to understand that you don't need to be alone. That even if you feel you're the only one that can talk to him, we... we all support you. You don't have to feel like it's some dirty little secret,"

Doc let out a heavy, emotional sigh. His lips shuddered as he gently pushed Anti aside.

"T-Thank you..." Doc uttered softly. "I... I appreciate your concern. I'm not used to being... in this position when it comes to a therapy-based conversation..."

"I've picked up a thing or two in my time," Anti smiled reassuringly. "And now that you're not biting my head off, how about we... how about we talk about the plan of action? What happens when he wakes up?"

Doc shuddered. "I... I'll talk to him. Explain that... time has passed, and get him adjusted to the fact that we aren't the men we used to be,"

"I don't know if that's something you can ease into..." Anti sighed worriedly, looking down. "I mean- he's gonna get confused and hurt anyway. I would too if I was gone for four years and everyone moved on without me..."

Doc's face became shadowed with guilt, and Anti quickly tried to retract his statement.

"Hey, I'm not saying that moving on was  _wrong_ \- we all thought he was gone, and... look, Doc, even if you knew he was coming back, you wouldn't have waited for him. I'm sure he knows you well enough to understand that..."

"To him, we're still a happy couple." Doc breathed, tears still falling from his eyes. "His memories, they... they're fresh and exciting and full of love, and- and I can't just  _break_ that for him..."

"But you can't break your relationship with Schneep either," Anti reminded, though he knew that Doc would never even  _think_ of doing something like that. "And if you don't tell him right away, he'll find out on his own. It'll hurt more from another source,  _surely_ you know that..."

"I don't want to see the look in his eyes when I tell him that I don't love him anymore," Doc sniffed. "It was painful enough letting go of Host, even when... even when I knew he didn't love me either. But Author... what we had was something I can never replace. We were special... not any more or less special than Henrik and I, but the kind of special that haunts you when it comes to an abrupt end, and... I don't want him to feel the pain that I felt."

"Unless you can find a way to send him back to wherever he went in the first place," Anti sighed, unable to think of another option. "You'll... you'll have to tell him eventually. The wedding is in a little over a week, Doc, you can't hide that. He needs to know..."

Doc sighed in defeat. He'd always known what he needed to do, he just... didn't want it to come so soon. Four years had seemed such a long time, but even that wasn't enough preparation to look Author in what remained of those lovely eyes and watch his face fall as the truth sunk in.

"I... I agree," Doc swallowed. "But... it's something I must face alone, Anti. I... I believe that Robbie would like to see you. You should... go to him,"

"Not until Author wakes up," Anti countered, folding his arms. "I don't know if you've accounted for the fact that I haven't seen him in four years, either. And I'm quite capable of missing people, even if I didn't used to fuck 'em..."

"Well why don't we invite  _everyone_  here then?!" Doc seemed to huff. "I'm sure King would  _love_  to give me advice on handling a broken relationship, given how  _terribly_ his last one ended..."

Anti frowned, shaking his head. "You don't mean that. You'd  _never_  make light of the death of your brother, and I know it. It's not...  _you_."

"Worry can bring out the worst in people," Doc retorted harshly. "I just... need a moment. Or five, or... maybe a few days, just..."

"We don't always  _have_ a few days," Anti muttered with a sigh. "Do you want me to get Schneep for you? I'm sure someone else can take care of Robbie, and-"

"Having Henrik here will only make things more stressful," Doc replied, disgruntled. "It's best if... if he remains out of Author's life, for now. At least until he's used to the fact that I've moved on- you remember how possessive he used to be... and he still thinks that we're together. I don't want to lose Henrik again because of a misunderstanding..."

Anti let out a reluctant sigh. "Well, I... I don't know what else to do here, Doc. You're right about one thing- I'm not some trained professional, I'm just... just a guy that's had some shit happen to him, that's all. I'm... not going to be much help here. Not until he wakes up..."

"It'll be any minute," Doc sighed, hands a little shaky still.

Anti didn't know the half of it. He didn't know the way that Doc had used to close his doors, shuddering, scared to open them and face the crazy man that had taken over his lover. He didn't know that Doc had used to cower, and shiver, and shake at the slightest touch. He didn't know that Author's self-control had loosened long before he'd started rambling like a mad man, that he'd lose himself in even the briefest moments, crying along with Doc in the aftermath of his carnage.

Dark hadn't let Anti see the bruises.

And Dark... Dark had begged him to leave. He'd confided in Doc about a man he'd used to love, who'd broken him inside and out, who'd always seemed so sorry for the pain he'd caused despite the fact that he  _kept on going_...

But... but Doc hadn't listened to that. He still  _wouldn't_ listen- Author wasn't violent, he was just... troubled. He didn't mean it.

He didn't mean  _any_  of it...

"Hey," Anti murmured again, placing a hand on Doc's shoulder. The doctor hated how he flinched, as if the very thought of Author returning was setting him on edge, preparing him for a fight...

Author hadn't ever fought him. No, he was sweet, and kind, and maybe a little over the top, but Doc had loved that about him.

_His fists had left marks scattered along Doc's arms._

The bruises had always been quick to fade. Author would burst into tears just looking at them, gushing apologies, and promises that Doc hadn't even thought to consider. Author hadn't raised a hand against him.

_He was just caught in the crossfire..._

Author would never hurt him.

_But he had..._

Doc's own fists clenched as he bit his lip, blinking away his tears furiously. He... he hated that after four years, he still felt like the man before him was a loose cannon, still lacked the trust he'd tried so desperately to maintain. He'd thought that this accidental abuse would all go away when Author ceased being, but...

But if what had happened to Robbie was  _any_ indication...

"He's waking up," Anti whispered, and...

Doc couldn't do this.

Anti seemed to understand. He locked his hand with the doctor's, pulling him to his feet and pushing him in the direction of the door. He shouldn't leave, he knew it... he had to stay here, and be with Author, and explain everything- it was only right.

"Anti, I..." Doc tried to refuse, but Anti, as usual, didn't want to take no for an answer.

"I'll come and get you when he's ready to hear it," Anti sighed, closing the door without waiting for the doctor's inevitable response.

He may not have known the full story, but he knew something was wrong. The way he'd closed up after Schneep's death, the way he'd tried so desperately to forget being part of a fusion with Daniel... Doc wasn't over this. He may have found love, and he may be happy- but he clearly wasn't ready to let go of Author quite yet.

And it seemed that Author wasn't ready to do the same with Doc, either...

Author sat upright, holding his head in his hands as he stared blankly in Anti's direction. Blood poured profusely from both eyes, and he looked as though he'd cry out if he knew how to. His lower lip quivered...

Anti sighed, clicking the lock into place and sitting beside the disoriented man he'd used to know.

"Hello, Author..."

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"How is he feeling?" Doc asked, opening the door to his office and feeling his heart sink a little as he regarded the figure on the examination bed. Robbie, his back supported by a pillow, his neck in a brace and his eyes fluttered closed. The corners of his lips were turned down in pain.

Around him, his brothers watched on with worried expressions. Chase and Blaine were here, looking up possible treatments, their faces only growing more grave with each passing second. Jackie and Jameson were hunched over Robbie, whispering promises, tapping reassuring messages onto his skin. Henrik was looking through the very medical journals that Author had helped him write, and seeing those familiar leather-bound books brought a wave of nausea through him. He averted his eyes.

"Schatz- vhat are you doing hier?" Henrik asked, getting to his feet in an instant.

"I-I..." Doc swallowed, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. Henrik might understand, but... but the way that the others were staring at him, worried, eyes demanding answers he wasn't ready to give them...

"Do not speak," Henrik advised softly, reaching him at last and pulling him into a warm, comforting hug. "Ich bin hier..."

Doc sobbed a little as he gripped Henrik harder, burying his head in his lover's shoulder. He shouldn't be so affected, he knew it, but then... then why did he feel so choked up, now?

"You vill be fine, Liebe, have faith..." Henrik soothed under his breath, cupping Doc's cheek and offering him a reassuring, pained smile. "I know zat ve kann nicht talk hier, but... I have ze feeling I know vhat ist bothering you so. I vant you to know zat I vill never think less of you because of your fears..."

"I- I'm not meant to  _have_  them..." Doc tried to argue, weakly. "It's b-been four years, I should be over it by n-now..."

Henrik shook his head. "Komm, Liebe, you do not believe zat... You know zat victims of zhese circumstances never truly heal..."

His eyes flicked worriedly over to Robbie. "Even if I had hoped zis vould not leave ze same mark on ihn as it did on you..."

The door crashed open, and Doc felt himself flinch at the sound.

"Would someone like to tell me what the  _hell_ is going on?"

Marvin had entered the room hastily, Yan on his arm, all but slamming the door on his way in. Yan's grip on Marvin's hand grew tighter still at the noise, and he looked down, pale as he'd ever been, yet almost content beneath the obvious layer of fear...

Jackie's brows furrowed as he stared in their direction. "This is meant to be family  _only_ -"

"We're  _all_  family, Jackie," Septiplier huffed, opening the door again as he glared warily at Marvin. "Look, I  _get_ that you're upset, but you don't need to slam the-"

"What. Happened?" Marvin repeated, looking the doctors in the eye. He seemed dishevelled as ever, his tangle of hair even longer, pushed hastily back on his scalp. He had slight bags under his eyes, and his shirt was damp with tears.

He was crackling with a kind of energy that Doc had never seen before.

Septiplier sighed as he walked over to Robbie, brushing some stray hair out of his eyes and looking down at him with pity. "Hey, buddy... we've got you..."

Robbie seemed to smile a little in his direction, but quickly his expression turned to one of pain.

"H... Host..."

Henrik squeezed Doc's hand in his own, hugging his fiance again when he sensed the other man starting to shake. He'd known that this wouldn't be easy, for so many reasons... just taking into account how distressed and worried his lover had been while Henrik was faded, he knew that dealing with Author's 'death' hadn't been pleasant for him. All that energy going into healing from it, and now... now, it was coming undone.

 _He_  was coming undone...

"Liebe... vould you like me to tell zhem about it?" Henrik asked kindly, knowing that Doc was in no state to be speaking about his past. He respected his lover's privacy, however- as far as Henrik knew, Doc had wanted to keep his previous relationship hidden from the newer egos, and he was the only Septiceye aside from Anti that knew the precise nature of Doc and Author's history...

Doc nodded, not trusting himself to speak aloud without sobbing. He'd never felt very welcome among the Septiceyes- unlike the Ipliers, they had a real family dynamic, a strict sense of belonging...

And unfortunately for Doc, it meant that he'd never quite belong in the collection of Irish egos. They wouldn't listen to him with the same respect they'd regard Henrik with...

"Vell, as some of you may know..." Henrik began, his hold on Doc never faltering as he addressed his brothers. His voice was only a little choked up, his words determined... what had Doc done to deserve a partner like this? 

"Mein Verlobter vas vonce in a romantic relationship vith ze Host,"

"Yeah," Septiplier piped up, nodding his head. "For... a little over a year, right?"

"P-perhaps... longer," Doc shuddered softly, looking down again. He'd almost forgotten that Septiplier had arrived just weeks after Host had appeared, in May 2014... he'd been there to see almost their entire undoing. But only the older ones had noticed the shivers and shakes slowly subsiding, the colour returning to his cheeks... only the older ones knew that Doc didn't love Host at all, no matter how hard he'd tried to...

"Ja," Henrik sighed. "For ze man ve know as Host, he... er vas not always known by zat name. Er came into existence hier as ze Author, many years ago. Doc vas vith ihn from ze beginning."

Blaine's eyes flashed yellow as he ran a quick search on the ego in question. "Markiplier, The Author. 6.58 million results:  _The Host, previously referred to as The Author, is one of the characters Mark played in a two part collaboration with Cyndago called Danger in Fiction. He served as the primary antagonist and the narrator of the story, compelling the members of Cyndago to do his bidding simply by_..."

Chase nudged the android in the side, seeing Doc's face fall at the recount. Blaine, thankfully, caught on before it got out of hand, shooting the doctors an apologetic look. He decided to read the rest of the short Wikipedia article in his head, growing ever more confused with Host's backstory...

"A-Author was... troubled," Doc muttered, his voice barely more than a rasp. "He was... f-fine for the first few months, but... then, he started hearing voices. Seeing things that weren't really there, and... and trying to fight away creatures that didn't exist..."

"Sounds like Anti," Jackie swallowed worriedly.

"Precisely," Henrik sighed, rubbing Doc's knuckles soothingly. "Zhey are quite similar, vhen you think... but zat ist not important now. Vhat matters is zat Author vanished, just before Septiplier arrived hier. In his place vas Host..."

"I never got to say goodbye," Doc shivered, burying his head in his free hand. "I-I... I loved him so much that I looked past  _everything_ , and... and I knew he loved me, too."

Jameson seemed to frown, but didn't speak up. Something about the way Doc spoke reminded him of... but no. Wilford didn't belong in this conversation. Wilford was nothing but a memory, now.

A haunting, beautiful memory...

"You're not gonna leave Schneep for him, are you?" Chase asked worriedly.

"I think we're missing the point here," Marvin huffed, interrupting as he gestured wildly at the examination bed. "Robbie's hurt- what are we going to do to fix that?!"

"Blaine ist vorking on it," Henrik muttered grimly, though he knew that there was no light at the end of this tunnel. "But you must listen to zis, Marvin, because it is affecting all of us..."

Doc swallowed, looking down. This... it really was stupid, wasn't it? Bringing his own feelings into this when Robbie was feeling much worse, both physically and mentally... Doc might have lost Author all those years ago, but Robbie had only just lost Host. And Host... with Author's reappearance he may never come back. "I... you're right, this is-"

"Nonsense," Henrik countered, shaking his head. "You are not getting out of zis vone, Liebe, zhey must know ze  _truth_ ,"

He gestured in turn to Robbie, who was peering up at them wearily. "He must know ze truth..."

Doc blinked away another onslaught of tears. His voice sounded scratchy and small... "I... It doesn't matter how I dealt with Author's disappearance, all that matters is that he's  _back_ , and it's like time hasn't passed at all for him... he still believes that we're together. He still loves the man I used to be, and... and I'm having a difficult time facing him. I... I've left him with Anti..."

Jackie's eyes widened under his mask. "You... left him with Anti-  _why_?"

"Anti's known him longer than I have, and..." Doc shivered, "and I... I couldn't bear to face him. I... I'm sorry..."

"You're scared of talkin' to your ex-boyfriend when our brother is lyin' here, unable to lift a goddamn finger?!" Marvin growled.

Henrik shot him a fierce glare. "Marvin, hold your  _tongue_! Mein Verlobter does not have to answer to you, now please, leave ihn be!"

He turned, ushering Doc to the corner and kissing his forehead gently before he could protest. The poor man was burning up, Marvin's words clearly only adding to the pain he was inflicting upon himself, worrying about what might have been...

"I vill not let ihn hurt you," Henrik whispered, pressing his hand to Doc's chest. "Not  _now_... ve have come so far, mein Schatz. Ve vill pull through zis mess..."

Doc's heart lurched painfully, leaping into his throat, the lights swirling in his teary eyes as he blinked, focusing on his fiance as best he could. Henrik was so concerned... Doc  _had_ to honour that. He had to get through this, if not for himself, then for his love... 

He drew a shuddering breath, smiling through trembling lips. "I... I love you, Hen, I... no matter what happens, I know you'll be there for me. It's just... hard to let my heart feel the same way, after..."

Henrik hushed him with another kiss, taking away his hand and wrapping his arms around Doc's neck. He smiled as he felt Doc relax into the embrace, his shuddering and shakes gradually coming to a stop. Henrik held him closely, his presence shooing away the stress that his lover's trauma was bringing him, kissing away the pain...

They broke apart.

"Zhere," Henrik sighed, smiling reassuringly at Doc. "Now, vhen you must face ihn, you kann remember meine kisses und know zat you are truly loved..."

Doc chuckled breathlessly, leaning in to kiss Henrik again. In the moment, he didn't care about the way the others were staring... the situation was dire as ever, but Doc allowed himself the freedom of enjoying one last touch. It was easy to forget just what he had here, when he allowed himself to be caught up in the past... Henrik was his future. And that was something that no amount of resurfacing ex-boyfriends could change for them.

"Thank you..." Doc uttered breathlessly. "I truly... I couldn't wish for a better spouse,"

Henrik snorted. "Hmph, I should hope not..."

"Anti is going to fetch me when Author is ready to talk..." Doc sighed, taking Henrik's hands in his own and biting his lip nervously, wondering if he should suggest this at all... but he  _needed_ it. He couldn't do this alone, no matter what he told himself... his heartache was just too much. He needed to balance it with a kind of love that hadn't existed when he and Author had been together. Something,  _anything_  to distract himself from the memories that were sure to surface. 

"I... I want you to be there, but I don't want you to get hurt-"

"Er vill nicht hurt me," Henrik assured him, interceding softly. "Not on ze meds... und I vould be  _honoured_. Of course I vill be zhere, for  _you_..."

It was almost too much to bear. Doc leaned forward again, crushing his lover in a hug, feeling a sense of personal accomplishment when Henrik returned the gesture. He understood the risks, and he was willing to help, and...

And Doc couldn't be more grateful for this man's presence in his life.

"I vill always be hier for you..." Henrik repeated. "Ich bin nicht going  _anywhere_..."

Doc chuckled breathlessly, resting his forehead against Henrik's own. "And I y-you... but we should s-save it for the vows,"

Henrik's smile only seemed to brighten at the reminder. "Ja, mein Liebe... I cannot vait,"

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

He opened his eyes.

It was dark- so dark that he could barely see, and his head pounded as though he'd had far too many drinks when the night was still young, but... but that  _couldn't_ be right.

He was definitely sober- he'd bid Edward goodnight and retired to his room, pulling the sheets over himself... a dark figure had loomed in the corner. He'd been frightened at first, worried about what he was seeing. Demons, creatures of the night... he'd met many in his time in this Void, but none as silent, and brooding, and  _observant_...

He shivered. The figure wasn't here, now... he supposed he should be grateful.

"... Author?"

He looked up, still unable to see anything but a murky mess, a drop of fluid leaking from his glassy eyes... had he been crying?

"Anti..." he muttered in return, blinking to try and clear his vision. He was usually so adept at adjusting to darkness, having spent so many hours slaving over his work long after the candles had burned out... but to no avail.

He was blind as ever...

_Why was he blind?_

"Where are you...?" He asked quietly, tentatively reaching out a hand. "A-Anti, I... why are the lights out?"

The glitch seemed to let out a heavy sigh, and Author's head whipped in the direction of the sound. He felt smooth, cool fabric beneath his fingertips. A simple shirt... black?

He wasn't sure how he could tell that colour...

"There you are..." Author breathed, shaking his head. "I... my head, it... what did I  _do_  last night?"

"Author, uhm... this is going to sound crazy, but... you've been in a... a coma, for four years."

His brows furrowed, and he could feel the bandages around his eyes falling down... that must be why he couldn't see, right? He scrambled to remove them, but even with the fabric gone, his eyes refused to pick up anything but a dark, murky mess.

_A... a coma?_

"But... but h-how?" Author shuddered. "F-four  _years_? I... where's Edward, I need-"

Anti's hand met Author's shoulder- it was... firmer, than he remembered. A little larger, a little rougher... he didn't know what to think. It couldn't have been four years... he remembered seeing Edward like it was yesterday. He felt just fine aside from the pounding in his head, he didn't  _feel_  like someone who'd been asleep for months on end...

"You're... you're  _lying_ , Anti, what  _really_  happened-?"

"I'm not lying," Anti interrupted, and Author shivered as he felt a warm touch on his hand. He was being guided, and his fingers wrapped around something that felt like skin, but... it was uneven, and bumpy, and... these were cutting scars, weren't they?

"... Anti?" Author whispered. "You... but  _why_? Dark would never let..."

There was no way that these had happened overnight...

"Let's just say... life wasn't exactly kind to me either," Anti sighed heavily, trailing Author's hand up to touch his raised neck wound. The scar, it seemed, would never fade... Author's brows seemed to crease, and he flinched away, holding his head in his hands.

"This... this  _can't_  be, I... E-Edward..."

"Author... I need you to forget Doc for a moment, and listen to me," Anti urged, biting his lip. This... Doc was right, it was all so  _surreal_. He felt impossibly torn, like any word could be wrong in this context, like he was seconds away from waking a nightmare if he didn't tread carefully... Perhaps Doc could have handled this situation better, after all.

He took a shuddering breath. No, he could  _do_  this. Author had respected him, but their relationship hadn't been meaningful enough to ruin either of them when they parted... he needed to avoid talking about Doc. He needed to focus on an explanation... Author was lost, and confused, and if he rushed into this it would all go downhill faster than blinking.

It seemed, if nothing else, that the coma analogy was helping this along. Author was much more likely to believe he'd been unconscious for four years than he'd be to acknowledge he was living a double life.

"We..." Anti started, swallowing the lump in his throat. "We all... thought you were dead, for so long... he's in shock. He wasn't expecting to see you, but he's... excited, to talk to you again,"

_Lies, lies, lies..._

Anti just couldn't tell him the truth. Not yet...

Author seemed to shiver, trying to look down at his hands, blood dripping all down his front... His lower lip quivered. "I-I... w-what year is it? W-why can't I... why can't I  _see_?"

Anti bit his lip. "It's... It's August 2018, Author. You... you left us in April 2014. And your eyes, they... well, we haven't figured that out yet, but... tell me if I need to slow down, okay?"

Author's eyes widened, his face falling. "T-two thousand and... but..."

He came to a sudden realisation, and Anti braced himself for the worst. Author was always rather intelligent, he'd have figured this out sooner or later... The only thing he could do now was diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.

"He's... he's moved on, hasn't he?" Author shivered, tears mixed with blood starting to spill from his eyes. "H-he wouldn't have w-waited for me... tell me, Anti- tell me!"

"He... he did," Anti sighed reluctantly, practically feeling the sheer terror rolling away from Author in waves, feeling a sense of pity washing over him. "He... he held onto you for as long as he could, but it wasn't healthy for him to obsess over this... he took years to get over it. It wasn't easy for him, and... I'm sorry, but... he eventually healed over, and he found love with someone else. They're... they're going to be married next week. I understand if this doesn't make-"

"It makes  _perfect_  sense," Author interceded, holding a hand to his heart as if it was wrenching in pain, tears streaming endlessly from his eyes. "It... I would have done the s-same, but... but it  _hurts_ , Anti. I... I hate being able to p-put myself in others' shoes... but he l-loved me until the end, r-right?"

Anti shot Author a wry smile, though he knew that the blind man couldn't see it. He... he was taking this rather well, if he said so himself. He could only think back to his earlier scare with Dark, and how terribly he'd managed that news... Author was more rational than  _he_ was, evidently.

Ironic, really, given his affinity for fairytales...

"He loved you so much it nearly killed him... and you're taking this better than I would have, if I was you," Anti sighed softly.

"I like to think that I'm a rational man..." Author shivered, blinking away his tears once more. Despite his best efforts to remain calm, Anti could see Author's fists clench and quiver in the sheets. "And I... Anti, please... is Edward happy, where he is?"

"He's the happiest I've seen him since before you went away," Anti replied truthfully, feeling relieved when Author's hands unclenched to instead pinch nervously at his thighs.

"What's... what's his new... partner, what are they like?" Author muttered, seeming to rock back and forth subconsciously on the bed. Anti had used that as a coping mechanism before... just how similar was he to the mysterious man he'd used to know?

Anti coughed to clear his throat, intending on answering the question, yet wondering if it was his place to say... surely, Doc wouldn't have a problem with it. After all, Author would have to meet Schneep eventually...

_Author would have to meet Robbie eventually, too..._

"He's... he's one of my brothers, actually," Anti started, biting his lip.  _Robbie_... he hoped that Robbie was okay, wherever he was. He hoped that Schneep was taking good care of him...

Author seemed confused. After all, Anti hadn't had any real family here until months after he'd vanished... it seemed so strange to imagine. Anti's entire identity in these past few years had been shaped around the nature of his brothers, their status quo, his connection to Jack... it was nice to remember the days before any of that mattered. When he could be himself without worrying about how different he was from the people he was supposed to love... 

"... Brothers?"

"A lot's changed since 2014, Author," Anti swallowed. "It's not just Dark, Will, Doc and King here anymore... there are more of us. More of  _all_  of us. I've got nine little brothers, and you've got well over ten at this point... Doc was worried they'd overwhelm you if you met them all at once. He felt it was... best to keep you in here, only talking to people you were familiar with, at least until you adjusted to the fact that time has passed for us."

"So he's... he's like you, then?" Author asked softly. "His partner, he... he looks and acts like you. Why... why didn't he go after you in the f-first place?"

Anti shook his head, giving an audible 'no' for Author's benefit. He understood why Author was concerned, but when he met Schneep, he'd quickly realise just how different the two of them really were. "No, he's.. he's another doctor. He's German, and he's got bright hair, and he's a bit of a control freak... but he cares. I think... I think you two would be great friends, actually. You've got a similar sort of mindset..."

Author actually managed to crack a smile at that- albeit, a sad one, but it was progress that Anti wasn't sure Doc could have gotten alone. "I... I'd like to meet him... all of them. I... I want to know what I've missed, and..."

He sighed, burying his face in his hands once more. " _Edward_... I need to apologise. I shouldn't have promised him I'd get through this, I... I need to speak to him. He's avoiding me, isn't he?"

"Only a little bit," Anti sighed in response, unable to keep that secret if he tried. "And it's not  _you_ , it's... he doesn't trust himself. He doesn't want to hurt you, so I made him leave, to calm himself down... I think... I think having me break the news to you worked out better, wouldn't you agree?"

"I... I appreciate it," Author swallowed, moving to stand up. Anti pushed him back down, shaking his head, sighing under his breath.

"No, it's... best if you stay in here for now. Doc will want to see you, away from the others. I'll go get him now..."

"Where's Dark?" Author asked suddenly, coming to a realisation. "This... this house, it's not the manor. I can tell... where is he?"

Anti sighed softly.  _Dark..._  Author wasn't quite used to the man he'd become over the past few years. He'd find this hard to believe... "Dark is... it's a long story, but he isn't in the Void. He's... he's in the Groundlands, but I'm sure he'll want to speak to you as well. I'd imagine he's gone to sleep now, though..."

Author cocked his head to one side. "Sleep? But... Dark doesn't-"

"He's pregnant," Anti interrupted, the door creaking a little as he opened it, glancing out into the hallway. "Dead on his feet, and all that..."

Author only seemed a little taken aback. He felt as though he already knew this- that it shouldn't be this much of a shock, but at the same time he found it incredibly strange. Male pregnancy... by all accounts, it shouldn't have been possible.

"But...  _how_?" Author asked aloud.

Anti couldn't hold back a snort. "The same way everyone else gets pregnant, Author, but don't hurt your brain thinking about it. It still doesn't make complete sense to us, either..."

Author didn't understand it. But then... he supposed he was hardly in a position to understand anything, now. Four years had passed- anything could have happened in between...

"W-well... congratulations," Author sighed in defeat.

Anti turned, having almost closed the door, fixing Author with a narrow-eyed stare. "Even a man who's been missing for four whole years knew... damn it. Well... thanks, anyway, and... don't do anything stupid. I'll be back in a moment..."

Though he respected Author still, Anti didn't quite trust the man enough to leave the door unlocked.

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Have you tried looking up remedies on witch sites?" Jackie asked nervously, one hand holding Robbie's own and the other scratching idly at the skin of his neck. They'd exhausted those journals, they'd scanned several pages on the internet, looking for  _anything_  to help Robbie get through this intact... there  _had_ to be a way. In this Void full of demons and magic, there  _had_  to be a way to heal a broken spine...

"Ze spine ist nicht ze problem" Schneep reminded them, walking over with Doc, their hands still entwined. "Es ist... ze spinal cord, und ze nerves... healing nerve damage is harder, und impossible in most cases, und... it does not matter if ve heal ze bones, Jackieboy. Robbie vill never valk again, vhile er ist living..."

"There  _has_  to be something!" Jackie growled in frustration, clenching his free fist, his arm trembling so hard that it was starting to rock the table. Robbie blinked up at him morosely.

"Calm yourself," Doc tried to say, though his voice was still a little hoarse. "W-we all want to help Robbie, J-Jackie, we're doing the best we can..."

The superhero sniffed, reluctantly disentangling his fingers from his brother's, starting to pace around the room. Nobody questioned him- they all knew how protective he got around his family members, how disappointed he was in himself every time he failed to stop something disastrous from happening to them...

Jameson let out a little huff of a sigh, following the red-clad man away from the examination bed. He caught up quickly, placing a firm hand on Jackie's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

Jackie didn't fight the hug that Jameson pulled him into, sniffling further as he buried his face in Jameson's shoulder. The room was otherwise silent...

"I could... I don't know, try...  _something_ ," Marvin said, stepping forward and placing a hand on Robbie's own. The little zombie looked up at him curiously, a mess of tears and sand in his eyes. Marvin let out a shaky breath.

"I... I know I've never done anything like this before," Marvin swallowed, his aura starting to glow again. It was hardly consistent, hardly like anything the others had seen- not fully-formed like Dark's, not misty like Anti's... it was more of a light flare, subtly dancing across the walls.

"Do you know vhat you are doing?" Schneep asked carefully, worry evident in his tone.

"Not a damn clue," Marvin shuddered. "But I have to  _try_... the fans think I've got magical abilities beyond comprehension. Maybe I can... tap into them, or... something, just..."

Yan placed a hand on Marvin's back, smiling weakly at him. "I b-believe in you... you can do whatever you p-put your mind to, sweetheart..."

Yan's reassurance seemed to bring Marvin the confidence he needed to shrug away his fears, narrowing his eyes as the room started to shift and glow... the light was white. Marvin's hair seemed to float with electrical impulses, static separating the individual strands, his eyes closed in fear of burning his retinas. The others covered their faces, and Robbie bit his lip. The light... it was so  _bright..._

The next thing he knew, Marvin's back hit the wall. His arm found something soft, hand bunching in Yan's shirt, and he shuddered as he stood shakily on his feet. The others seemed to be in a similar state of confusion.

Robbie himself hadn't moved. He was looking down at his arm, wonder in his eyes, as he flexed his fingers experimentally. He didn't seem to be able to move, and yet...

"... Blood?" Robbie sounded.

"Vhat?" Schneep asked, shaking his head. "Vhat do you  _mean_ , bl- oh... Schatz, komm look at zis..."

Doc peered over Robbie's figure as the others clambered closer, all wondering just what had happened. Jackie's worry had been replaced by curiosity, his hand still entwined with Jameson's long after he'd helped the man off the ground. He simply hadn't thought to let go...

At least, that's what he'd tell himself when he realised it.

Robbie's arm was lifted by Doc as he prodded softly at the skin, watching as it lightened and darkened at his touch. Robbie... he had circulation. He had blood- he... Marvin did this?

Marvin's eyes widened. "I... what just happened?"

"I... I believe you've given Robbie a body full of blood," Doc muttered, shaking his head in mild confusion. "It's... like nothing I've seen before, but... he seems to remain immobile. That being said, this... this is a revolutionary find,"

Marvin sighed to himself, shaking his own head. "No- no, it's nothing but a  _failure_... what use is blood magic on someone who doesn't need blood?"

"Regardless of how useful it is, it's important," Doc shivered. "Robbie... would you be alright with me taking a sample?"

Robbie couldn't nod, but he mouthed 'yes', still transfixed by the way the colours were shifting on his skin. He felt... unusually heavy, like this. He felt filled from the inside out, he felt... warm.

But no-  _no_ , only Host could make him feel so warm, and happy, and free... he needed Host. He needed to  _see_ him...

"Er does not have a heartbeat," Schneep murmured, appearing puzzled as he checked Robbie's arm for a pulse. "I... I do not know vhat giving blood to ihn vill change, but..."

Marvin groaned in frustration, tugging at his own hair as he found himself pacing on the spot. It was gone- the energy, the intensity of it all, it was  _gone_... he'd channeled it into the one thing Robbie didn't need, he'd  _wasted_  his chance, and...

Yan's hand pressed gently into Marvin's shoulder, rubbing soothingly at his lover's skin. Marvin shivered at his touch.

"Hey... that was pretty amazing," Yan reassured, seeing Marvin cringe internally, curling in on himself even more. He let out a shuddering breath, eyes shut fiercely, not wanting to believe those words when his actions had accomplished  _nothing_...

"I-I... I failed him-"

" _No_ ," Yan interrupted shaking his head. "No- no, you didn't f-fail  _anybody_. You literally just- look, you just gave a zombie blood,  _fresh_  blood, and I've  _never_  seen that happen before,"

"He doesn't  _need_  blood!" Marvin almost shouted, but this time Yan didn't cower away at the noise. He remained calm, biting his lip, pulling Marvin in for a hug. The magician hardly managed to fight him off, eventually giving in and letting Yan's arms encompass him...

"And you don't need that cape," Yan explained softly, squeezing Marvin's frame gently. "But it's a nice touch, isn't it?"

Marvin couldn't seem to argue against that, instead giving in to his urges and deepening the embrace they were sharing. If he tried, maybe he could get that energy to return to him... if he could do something with enough  _passion_... maybe that spark would ignite once more.

"I'll take the sample from your leg," Doc muttered, sighing softly as Schneep handed him a needle. "So that you won't feel a thing... how is it? Are you in any pain?"

Robbie let out a tiny whimper at the sight of the needle entering his skin, feeling terribly out of sorts and confused on instinct when there was no pain to follow it. Yet somehow, he could feel... he could feel the fluid moving inside him. He made a face of distaste.

"Feels... heavy," Robbie shivered. "Getting... cold..."

"Ze blood cells vill quickly die vithout a real circulation," Schneep noted, watching as the blood darkened in the collecting vial, the lack of oxygen making it appear almost black. "But ve do not need live cells to analyse zis... danke for your cooperation, Robbie,"

Robbie closed his eyes as he winced, not wanting to look at the rest of the room anymore. He didn't care about the blood- he didn't care about his injury. He only cared that Host was alright, and  _nobody_  was telling him that... surely, he was going to be okay.

Robbie just wanted him to know that he had no need to apologise...

"Marv, how... how'd you even manage that?" Jackie asked, still a little shaken by the blast. "I haven't seen you do anything so... magical?"

"I don't know," Marvin shivered honestly, his hold on Yan only tightening. "I just... felt stronger than ever, and... tried to channel that into helping him. But it..."

"It would have helped any of the rest of us," Chase swallowed, stepping forward. He seemed... proud?

"Besides, it was fuckin' cool,"

"I'll second that," Jackie agreed, smiling briefly at Marvin and clapping him on the back. "You did good, man- it was only your first try. You can't expect yourself to be perfect..."

Marvin almost nodded, but... he still felt inadequate. Like he could have done something more, he could have been  _better_... he could only whimper as he breathed in Yan's sweet scent, leaning into his boyfriend's support.

Yan patted his back softly, fixing the others with an apologetic stare. "He doesn't really do compliments, I've tried..."

"'M sorry..." Marvin whispered.

"It's okay, man," Chase reassured, giving his brother a thumbs up and shooting Yan a grateful smile. "You're lucky you've got someone like Yan on your case about this,"

Marvin snorted, reluctantly letting go of Yan and reaching up to brush his pretty red hair aside. "I really, really am... but... hey, listen,"

Marvin beckoned JJ, Jackie, Chase and Yan closer to him, seeing as the doctors were preoccupied with Blaine, running diagnostic tests on the magical blood Marvin had summoned. Septiplier was still standing by Robbie, too engrossed in communicating his sorrows to notice them. The group huddled together almost instinctively, looking at Marvin for answers.

"What's up?" Jackie asked.

"What are we gonna do about Host?" Marvin sighed, voicing his concerns at last. "I mean- Robbie really loves the guy, but from what I've been hearing, he's dangerous now. You all see the way Doc tenses up when he's mentioned, right?"

Chase swallowed as he nodded, rubbing the back of his neck in memory. "Yeah, it's like... like they had an abusive relationship in the past. My friend Chad was in..."

Jameson raised an eyebrow, but Chase shook his head with a sigh. "Doesn't matter- just... trust that I know what it looks like. The shaking, and the stuttering... there's definitely something they're not tellin' us,"

"But... you don't think Host would hurt Robbie, do you?" Jackie asked, eyes flickering to Robbie's bed and back. "I mean... today was an accident, right?"

"It doesn't matter if it was an accident," Yan spoke softly, startling the others as they remembered that he was still here. He looked somber, staring at the ground. "It doesn't matter, because it's still dangerous... I should know,"

Marvin's features softened. "Baby-"

"Not now," Yan hushed, shaking his head. This wasn't time to have the morality conversation they'd been avoiding for years... "Now, we need to talk about how to help bring Host back..."

Jameson's brows furrowed, and he signed out a message hidden from the doctors, directing it at Marvin. The magician seemed curious, if a little taken aback.

"You... you think  _I_ could force him back?" Marvin asked quietly, shaking his head a little. "I... I still don't know how to bring the magic back, let alone control it... I could destroy his mind even more. No, there  _has_ to be another way..."

"What if we remind him of what he used to be like?" Jackie suggested. "I mean... I didn't really know the guy, but... there's gotta be something we can do,"

"Nobody knew him," Yan supplied sadly. "He stayed in his office all day and night, narrating, never taking part in our activities... Doc was the only one that kept talking to him aside from Dark and Robbie, when he got here. I don't think I even saw Host outside until Robbie gave him something to live for..."

"It all comes down to Robbie, then," Marvin swallowed. "But... I saw what happened earlier, and... if Robbie ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time, I don't think I could live with myself. We can't let them be together until we're sure nothing will go wrong..."

Chase coughed to clear his throat, drawing the attention of his three brothers. "You're all forgettin' that Host isn't the only one who forgot who he was and became someone else... I kept getting bits and pieces of my old life when I was settlin' in here. I was confused, and scared... but after I read the article, it all came flooding back. I think... I think we don't really need Robbie to be there at all,"

"We just need to remind him of who Robbie is," Jackie stated, catching quickly on. "Like, uh... telling him stories?"

"Stories won't help," Chase denied, shaking his head. "Especially when we don't know shit about their relationship. Heck, Robbie could have slept with him and none of us would know- it's useless going about it that way..."

Jackie appeared to flush a little behind his mask, but nobody save for Marvin and Jameson picked up on it. JJ already knew about what had happened, of course- he'd been in the house with Anti, after all, and had been warned not to go upstairs. Marvin just flashed him a smile, remembering the moment Robbie had confided in him about exactly that, just before they'd fused together for the first time... it seemed like so long ago, when it was only a number of days.

Chase and Yan remained oblivious, but then... well, it was Robbie's secret to tell, not theirs. They'd just have to hope that Robbie would survive to speak about it with the rest of his family...

"So... smells?" Marvin suggested. "I could bring him Robbie's pillow or something..."

"Smells are good," Chase agreed, "smells were pretty much all I had to go on... touch, too, but that's something we'd need Robbie for. Or... or we could do one better, and bring him some of Robbie's things. Stuff he might have held in the past few years..."

"I'll ask Anti about his stuff from the manor," Jackie put forward, sighing softly. "I mean... when Anti gets back, anyway. I wonder how he's going in there..."

"He's not dead yet, that has to count for something," Chase shrugged. "But yeah, good idea. I'll see if I can get something that smells like him... And Marv, I'd say you're onto a winner with that spell. Keep at it?"

Marvin smiled wryly at him, nodding despite the sinking in his chest. "I'll try... JJ?"

Jameson blinked softly, tapping on Chase's arm thoughtfully. It seemed that he wanted to be a part of the little adventure, too.

"Hop to it," Marvin granted, watching the doctors giving them curious looks as they left the room. Jackie watched after them with a sigh, shaking his head.

"I... I'm gonna go talk to Robbie again,"

Yan linked his fingers softly with Marvin's, giving him a reassuring smile. "You can do this, I know it... you're more magnificent than you seem to want to believe,"

"How can I believe I'm so great if I've never accomplished anything to prove it?" Marvin all but whispered, staring morosely at his feet.

"You've accomplished  _plenty_ ," Yan countered, determined as ever to change Marvin's mind. "You're just always aiming for something higher, that's all... now, tell me what happened last time, maybe we can make it happen again..."

"Last time..." Marvin uttered, brows furrowed. "Last time I was... stressed. I was angry because nothing was working, and..."

Yan gasped softly, gesturing to Marvin's hand with a triumphant grin plastered on his face. He seemed to be... glowing, with pride? But  _no_ \- no, the glowing was coming from elsewhere... 

"See? Look at this..."

Pure white energy seemed to be floating around his hands, glowing dimly in the room, the surface tension of whatever it was made of, rooting it in place. Marvin felt a little queasy when it faded away, leaving behind nothing but a faint tingling sensation. He sighed vehemently.

"It's useless," Marvin muttered, slumping in defeat. "We're better off sticking to the memory plan..."

"I have faith in you," Yan stated, hugging Marvin warmly around his middle, smiling when his lover didn't flinch away. "Even if you can't fix this situation... you'll be a master of this in no time. You'll  _really_  save someone some day, I know it..."

"I need to save someone  _right now_ ," Marvin huffed. "And I just  _can't_..."

Neither of them noticed the faint crackling of an electrical current, nor the tiny sparks by Marvin's feet...

**~0o0o0o0o0o0~**

"Okay, first course of action is- Anti!"

Chase stopped mid-sentence, faltering only a little before waving his greetings to the other ego in the hall. Anti, if nothing else, was fairly observant when it came to his brothers. He folded his arms, staring the both of them down, clearly not buying the weak distraction Chase had attempted to execute.

"What do you think you're doing?" Anti sighed.

"Um... uh, hey, did you dye your hair?" Chase asked weakly. Jameson's palm hit his face, shaking his head in slight second-hand embarrassment.

"As a matter of fact, this is how it naturally is," Anti replied, eyes narrowing. "And diversion's the first trick in the book- what are you two trying to hide? What happened to Robbie?"

Chase sighed in defeat, biting his lip as he met Anti's chilling green eyes. "Robbie's... well, he's fine apart from the fact that he can't move. This isn't about him, but... look, we had a plan to help Host remember who he is,"

If Jameson shrank any further, he'd be part of the floor.

Anti merely sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in mild annoyance. "Chase... I appreciate that you want to help, but that  _won't_ work. Author and Host... they're completely different people. I don't think Author can access Host's memories, especially considering that Host couldn't get to Author's... trust me, we tried for years,"

"Well- yeah, but..." Chase tried to argue, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's... It's Robbie. He's stressed and upset because he wants to speak to Host, but none of us want that to happen until it's safe-"

"It's perfectly safe," Anti interceded gently, a small smile painting his lips. "I just spoke to him now- he's more sane than usual, actually. I just came to fetch Doc- is he still in with Robbie?"

"Yeah," Chase managed, shaking his head. This... this  _had_  to work. Host was still in there, he just knew it... "I... Are you sure getting him to remember won't-?"

"I'm sure," Anti sighed with the air of finality. "And... look, I'm sure Robbie would appreciate what you're trying to do for him, but he needs to  _wait_. Author... he's back for a reason. If we don't figure out why, he'll just keep appearing again, and we can't afford to let that chaos keep on erupting. We need to  _settle_ this,"

"But... what if Author doesn't want to leave?"

The question had been dancing around Anti's own head a lot more often than he'd have liked, but he  _couldn't_  entertain it. Author... he wasn't bad, but he'd never be able to replace Host, not in anyone's eyes. Last time, there had been barely five people to miss him, but now... even if Host didn't interact with them all, he had the biggest family of egos in the entire Void caring about him and his safety.

Author couldn't stay. He just  _couldn't..._

Anti met Chase's eyes sadly. "That's... not really our choice to make... but I hope, for everyone's sake, that isn't the case. But I need to talk to Doc- and you have to tell the others that this plan of yours is pointless. Maybe... maybe there's another way. But Author is Author- he doesn't even know who Host is, let alone remember him..."

He trailed off with a sigh, shaking his head. "I've got to get Doc, and then... then I'll need to talk to Dark-"

"That's right!" Chase exclaimed aloud, suddenly remembering what he'd wanted to ask Anti about earlier. Before the whole Blaine and Google mess, before Robbie's accident... he hadn't seen Anti in so long that he'd almost completely forgotten.

Almost...

"Is it now?" Anti queried, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah- hey, look, Dark's going to want help with back pain, I've got some tips from my time with Stacy," Chase offered. He could see Anti's lips twitch upwards in a smile, and before he knew it he was pulled into a hug. He didn't hesitate to hug Anti back, grin stretching across his cheeks, aware of Jameson giving him an amused smirk.

They parted.

"I don't think you've ever hugged me before," Chase noted with a smirk of his own. Anti's eyes flashed mischievously.

"Yeah, well... I'll sacrifice my dignity for my lover's comfort any day," Anti snorted in return, reaching to twist the doorknob and opening the doctors' door. "I'll make sure to let him know when I talk to him later... but seriously, don't waste your time with Host, it... it's futile,"

Jameson nodded in understanding, shooing Anti away and breathing a sigh of relief when the door was closed. He turned to Chase, tapping his shoulder and gesturing down the hall.

"You want to look anyway?" Chase muttered, still smiling. "Hah- attaboy, JJ... come on, let's go..."

Jameson threw open the door to Robbie's bedroom, making sure that Chase was inside before he closed it behind them. This had to work... Anti might have thought he knew all about this, but... but people could remember, despite their best efforts to forget.

He'd seen it time and time again, with Wilford...

Chase didn't see the tear slip from Jameson's eye as the mute stepped forward, hand trailing over the bloodied sheets. This  _had_ to work.

He wouldn't let his big brother suffer the same heartache he'd felt when he realised that Wilford was too caught up in someone he used to be to love him in return.

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"He's... he's calm?" Doc asked softly, voice barely above a whisper as he looked uncertainly at Anti. Henrik's hand clasped around his own could barely soothe his wild heart as he let his other hand linger on the doorknob, the lock having fallen away just seconds earlier.

It was here, he just needed to let himself fix this...

"He's calm as ever," Anti promised, fixing Doc with a look of concern. "He... really wants to see you. He wants to meet you both,"

"Both?" Henrik echoed, raising an eyebrow. "But... vhy vould he vant to meet  _me_?"

"Isn't it obvious, Schneep?" Anti queried, shrugging his shoulders. "He wants to know that you're right for Doc, or... something. He kept asking me if you two were happy, and I guess he wants to see it for himself. Or... witness it, I guess, I... I really have to stop making accidental vision jokes,"

"P-Perhaps you should," Doc muttered, taking a deep breath in. His fingers clenched a little tighter around Henrik's own, and he twisted the doorknob. Slowly, but surely, and...

It clicked back into its default position. He rested his forehead on the door, breathing heavily, his heart twisting inside, because... because this wasn't so easy. The man before this door, he... he'd been someone Doc had loved with every fibre of his being, no matter how destructive, no matter how dangerous... and yet, he was still the man who could inspire the most fear in his heart.

"What if I can't do this?" He shivered, tears already starting to well in his eyes.

"Oh, Schatz... komm hier..."

He didn't have time to protest as Henrik tugged him away from the door, wrapping Doc in his arms and giving him a lingering, reassuring hug. Doc didn't dare open his eyes again, in fear he'd start to cry. His skin, his bones... he felt himself light up with the remnants of pain he'd felt trying to keep Author tethered to this Void. And for what? He'd left, and Doc hadn't had the chance to say goodbye, after all he'd done, after all he'd  _sacrificed..._

"Ve shall do zis together," Henrik promised him, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "I promise you, Schatz... you are not alone zis time,"

Doc couldn't speak- but Henrik, it seemed, didn't need a verbal cue. He smiled proudly at Doc, interlacing their fingers once more, leaning gently into his side as a reassurance that he wasn't going anywhere.

"Ich liebe dich also, Doc..."

Henrik reached out, twisting the doorknob and throwing open the door eagerly, stepping inside without hesitation. Doc was forced to follow, and there... sitting on the bed, alert, and docile, it... it was Author.

_He's back..._

"Edward?" Author asked softly, reaching out despite knowing that nobody was there. "I... I can hear your breathing. You always did have the strongest lungs..."

"Hmph- it seems zat our old Freund ist quite observant," Henrik murmured, tugging Doc along and sitting him on the bed alongside Author. Henrik himself made sure to sit by his side, keeping one hand entwined with his own, fixing Author with a curious stare. He... he didn't seem to be acting abnormally. Anti closed the door behind them, summoning his chair once more.

Author blinked at the new voice- one he'd swear he'd heard before, though the time and place escaped him. He held out a hand blindly, feeling the heat creeping up his cheeks. He felt so disoriented and blinded, and yet... yet he also felt practiced. Another's hand gripped his own, shaking firmly.

"You must be his f-fiance," Author shivered in greeting. He could feel Edward tensing beside him, but the hand in his own didn't falter.

"Henrik von Schneeplestein," the man introduced himself, with the strangest hint of a smile in his tone. "Es ist a pleasure to meet you at last, Author,"

"Well..." Author sighed, letting his hand drop after a few moments. "Anti wasn't lying about the accent, er... you seem... happy?"

"Yeah- what's got your spirits so high?" Anti asked, shaking his head. "You're talking to the guy your man used to date, and you're  _happy_ about it? Nothing against you, Author, but... well, I was about ready to castrate Wilford when I heard he was sneaking around with Dark..."

"Zat ist because both Dark und Vilford kept zeir history secret from you," Henrik explained, smile never leaving his face. "But zis case is... different. Doc hast never tried to hide your past from me, Author... er spoke quite highly of you, in fact,"

Author seemed to shiver a little, but maintained his blank, unwavering stare. He cocked his head to one side. "H-he...  _really_?"

"Of course," Doc uttered aloud, barely more than a wheeze. He licked his lips nervously, running a hand through his hair. "I-I... I loved you, once... I never want you to doubt that, Author. I know... I know it can't be easy knowing that I... that I'm seeing another man, but..."

Doc's tone faltered, and he found himself drawing closer into Henrik's side. "I... I waited for you, for as long as I could... I tried to bring myself to love the man you became, b-but... but he wasn't  _you_. Nobody... nobody could replace you, Author. It just... took me years to realise that I didn't need to replace you. I needed... I needed to embrace that you and I, we... we happened, and I needed to let myself embrace another in turn. I... I loved you, until I couldn't bear it anymore. I'm s-sorry..."

"D-Don't be sorry," Author interrupted, blood starting to stream once more from his eyes, though he didn't seem as distraught as Doc might have imagined he'd be upon hearing the news. "I-I... I'd never w-want you to be sorry for falling in love, I... I can't lie, Edward, it  _hurts_ , but... I'm not some  _entitled_  piece of  _shit_  that thinks I own you... I'm not the man that I was written to be,"

Author's lips twisted into a pained smile, and he reached out to grasp Edward's hands, feeling a sense of happiness when he was able to hold both.

Henrik had pulled back, observing, rubbing circles into Doc's back... his lover was going through a rough time. Everything about Author, it... it called to parts of Doc that he'd sworn to leave behind. Henrik had always said it wasn't healthy to bottle it all away, but that was what Doc did best...

Now... now, he had a chance to let it all out. Who was Henrik to stop him from resolving the one thing that had brought him constant stress for the past four years?

"I want you to b-be happy," Author promised, smiling through the tears. "And you... you're happy with him. You were happy with me too, and I  _know_  that, but... being here with you, I can see... heh, well, I can  _feel_... you've changed. Your needs, they've changed... you need permanence, and safety, and everything I can't give you anymore. I... I'm so  _proud_  of you, Edward..."

"S-stop..." Doc shivered, shaking his head reluctantly as even more tears fell into his lap. "I-I can't... stop  _apologising_  to me, I was the one who  _left_  you alone, I-"

"I won't stop apologising for what I  _did_  to you..." Author muttered, sighing heavily through a choked sob. "I... I remember those nights, like a blur... I  _hurt_ you. I didn't mean to, but... you couldn't hide the bruises. I was a monster... I'm  _still_  a monster, and... and that's alright. I handled my destiny in a foolish way, and... I paid the price for it, clearly. I... I guess being stuck in a coma for four years was hardly enough of a punishment..."

"Coma?" Henrik echoed, fixing Anti with a half-hearted, worried glare. "Anti... you did not tell ihn ze truth?"

"Doc wanted him to be kept in the dark," Anti admitted reluctantly, looking to his feet with a grimace. "But now... now, I guess, we've got to explain it all..."

Author's brows furrowed. "I... I'm not sure I understand, what...?"

"The m-man you became," Doc interceded, closing his eyes in pain. "H-he... he took your place here. He didn't have your memories, only... only your body, and he called himself The Host. He... he's been living here while you were away..."

_The Host..._

Author grunted as he felt another pain in his head, clutching at it with a bloodied hand and wincing further when it slowly subsided. What... what was  _happening_?

"W-why didn't you tell me?" Author asked, looking in what he hoped was Anti's direction.

"We didn't want you to worry about it," Anti admitted with a sigh, shaking his head and walking forward. "Host... he has his own issues to sort out, and you-"

"What. Issues?" Author demanded, his blood-ridden gaze as cold as ice. He couldn't see, but he was staring directly into Anti's eyes, the piercing green casting light shadows on the surface of his skin. Edward seemed too overcome by grief to speak, and Henrik... well, he remained silent.

_What aren't they telling me?_

"It doesn't matter-"

"Tell me!" Author shouted, consciously aware of the crimson tears bleeding down his cheeks. Hot, wet and red... had The Host done this to him? Had he mutilated Author's body in his absence, had he cast Author away on purpose?

"You must remain calm." Henrik muttered, though Author didn't know if he was talking to Edward or himself.

"What did Host  _do_  to you?!" Author growled, digging at his own arms with his fingernails. He... he wanted to hurt the man who'd done this. Who'd caused this, who'd ripped his memory away from the people he loved and forced them to move on from him.

The blood rushing from his wrist was a welcome respite.

_Memories, visions... the touch of another's cool skin against his own, the kiss of someone's lips on his cheek... he felt his fingers interlace with his lover's, but it wasn't Edward._

_The soft, rumbling sensation... someone asleep on his chest. Smooth, feathery hair that felt like silk beneath his fingertips. The promise... a promise of undying love and attention, and a loud, undeniable_ thud _..._

_Whimpers of pain. Soft, shuddering breaths... he felt the tormented words dying on his lips._

_Robbie..._

"He didn't do anything!" Anti called, wrenching Author's hand away from his arm. "Stop that! Seriously, you're doing nothing  _good_  by hurting yourself-"

"I h-hurt someone, didn't I?" Author muttered, throwing Anti away from him, hearing a sickening crash from his right side and blinking back the tears. "H-Host, he... he's the one that hurt you. He made you f-feel helpless, he... he did this. He caused  _all_  of- ngh!"

The pain, the  _voices_... it was all growing too much to bear. A shadowy figure loomed in the corner, blood red eyes piercing through his soul, laughing,  _laughing_...

"GET OUT!"

"He w-won't take the drugs," Doc advised when Henrik lifted him from his seat, gesturing wildly for Anti to open the door and let them leave. He seemed panicked, and Doc knew he had good reason- but still, he felt as though he needed to defend Author at all costs. He was but a man- he couldn't control himself if he tried, and this... this battle wasn't an easy battle to fight.

"Zhen ve must keep ihn locked away," Henrik muttered sadly, all but shoving Doc through the door and sighing in relief when Anti clicked the lock into place.

"H-he doesn't deserve that," Doc shivered, biting his lip. "H-he... he only wants to protect us, and he... thinks that Host is..."

"Host is nicht ze problem..." Henrik interceded, worry clearly ringing in his tone. He blinked in the direction of the office, taking a shuddering breath, and Anti realised just what he was referring to. It... it couldn't be, could it?

Henrik took a deep, shuddering breath. "Es ist Robbie,"


	41. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, sorry this took forever- I got hit with the flu, and some assignments were beating me up for a while. Hope you enjoy this angst-fest :)

**~Void~**

"R-Robbie?" Doc echoed, face falling a little as his brows furrowed, not quite understanding the reasoning behind that conclusion. Why did Henrik seem so certain? They'd barely spoken to Author for more than ten minutes... and- and Author didn't even know who Robbie  _was_.

How could the little zombie have caused this kind of chaos?

"I... but what does  _Robbie_ have to do with-?"

"Vell- not exactly Robbie, but... vhat Robbie means to Host," Henrik sighed, shaking his head solemnly. "I... I  _see_ it, now. Zis whole ordeal... Author vas not ze vone who decided to take over. Host... Host forced ihn to come back,"

"But- no, he... why would Host  _do_  that?" Anti uttered incredulously, eyes wide in disbelief. "That's not like him- he's really protective of Robbie, he  _hates_  being separated-"

That was true- of  _course_  it was true. Host couldn't stand being apart from Robbie- it made him feel anxious and agitated, and brought him nothing but worry... Doc knew he'd never do something like this willingly. There had to be another explanation- Host wouldn't just  _decide_ out of the blue to remove himself from the picture like that.

What had happened to scare him away? What had he heard, what had he  _seen_...?

"Yan," Doc muttered in realisation, locking eyes warily with Henrik, and feeling his gut sink when his lover nodded in agreement. It was all so clear- so  _terribly_ clear that there was more to this puzzle than met the eye. "He... he must have seen something, or...  _felt_ something that changed him. The fusion... we  _need_ to ask Yan what they saw,"

"You think it was President that made Host panic and push himself out of his own body?" Anti asked, unsure if he was getting the point here. It just seemed so far fetched, and irrational... but then, Anti had seen plenty more irrational things in this Void. President had seemed so genuinely loving and caring, so eager to help the situation... Anti didn't want to believe he'd caused it.

"Wer else could it be?" Henrik sighed in response, wrapping an arm around Doc and walking towards their office once more. Robbie... the poor zombie, he hadn't deserved this. He hadn't deserved  _any_  of this... Henrik shouldn't have suggested fusion. They'd have found another way, another path that wouldn't break one relationship apart to fix another.

What was going to happen to them, now?

"I guess fusion must be different between different people..." Anti muttered, shaking his head slightly as if he was trying to comprehend the situation. "I mean... The only person I've fused with for more than a few seconds is Blaze, and we... Phoenix... he didn't feel any of the shit I felt. He was bold, and powerful, and he  _knew_  that. It was... weird, feeling so confident,"

"I vill admit zat vhen ve fused, I felt like ze gayest, most ridiculous comedy show doktor on television," Henrik muttered with a small smile. "It vas certainly... liberating, to some degree. I did not feel your pain either, Anti... Ich... I felt like I could  _embrace_ mein original character, instead of hiding ihn away..."

Doc's lips twitched as he paused, turning to face the pair of Septiceyes with an amused expression. Henrik had told him they'd fused, yes, but he hadn't exactly spilled the details of the event- and hearing this now was something of a reprieve from the troubling day's events.

"You two make a chaotic gay when you fuse?"

"Vhat did you honestly expect, Schatz?" Henrik snorted, glad for the humorous interruption. Today didn't need to get any sadder, and even the slightest amount of comic relief was certainly welcome... He took a moment to wonder about what Marvin and Robbie felt when they were fused. What emotions ran through their conjoined mind...?

"I'm not sure..." Doc trailed off, a flicker of pain ghosting his features as he reminisced. "I mean... fusing with Daniel wasn't the most pleasant experience. All I could feel was  _hatred_... Bloodthirst. The need for  _revenge_... I lost myself. I forgot who... who I was, and who I was even fighting  _for_..."

He turned to face Anti apologetically, though they'd already discussed this topic before. The glitch just rolled his eyes- it seemed that his sympathy had long worn away... Doc supposed that perhaps he shouldn't be so caught up in it, still. Anti had clearly recovered...

_But then, Anti had recovered near-completely from sexual assault in a mere week..._

"Ich bin sorry zat your first experience vith fusion vas... tainted," Henrik sighed. "It... It really  _must_ depend on ze person. Vhat about your other fusions, Anti? Vhat vere zhey like?"

Anti smiled fondly as he thought back to the first time he'd fused, sitting with Jameson, trying to talk him down from doing the very thing that had driven Anti away from his family in the October before last... It all seemed so long ago.

"James and I... Well, it didn't last long, but I felt... loved. Appreciated, like... like I was really helping myself. But it wasn't  _myself_ , it was... us. It was like this huge emotional weight was just  _lifted_ , and it moved me so much I started crying... but I was laughing as well. It was the strangest high I've ever experienced... but I don't think it'd be the same if we fused again. It was... a situational thing,"

"Understandable," Doc nodded, not having been there himself, but having heard all about it from Henrik later that night. The way his lover's eyes had lit up at the recount, his ideas about using fusion to heal the broken relationships among the egos- the experience had given him a vision of an ideal future.

But that vision had also led to the nightmare currently unfolding in their midst...

"I vanted to let Marvin und Yan fuse to sort out zheir differences, but I feared zhey vould nicht be compatible enough..." Henrik muttered, face falling slightly. Doc squeezed his hand as comfortingly as he could, lessening the strain, and Henrik couldn't help but smile at that.

"Can you imagine that?" Anti snorted, lips twitching in mirth. "You think  _we_  make a chaotic gay... just wait until they realise how much  _more_ extra they'd be together..."

"Lord help us all," Doc smirked, turning to face Henrik with a hopeful smile. "And... you know, I really think that this experience, if nothing else, it's brought them... closer. I think they'd be open to trying something like that out, now."

"Maybe, if ze previous fusion experiment vent a little more to plan..." Henrik murmured with a sigh. "I do not think zat zhey quite trust zhemselves yet, especially since... ach, nein!"

Henrik groaned aloud, stepping back from the door and running a hand through his hair. The sudden movement caused Doc's expression to waver, and Anti's brows furrowed at the exclamation.

"Love, what's-?"

Henrik grimaced. "Vhen I found ze fusions zis morning, zhey had obviously been sexually intimate ze night before. Zhey did not retain ze memories after splitting apart- ach, I should have  _told zhem_ -"

Doc's heart sank. That... that could do it. That could be what caused the divide- intercourse was a strange thing, for egos. It seemed to carry so much more weight for them when they trusted each other enough to become so involved... Marvin, Yan, Host and Robbie... none of them had been ready for that. It had taken long enough for Host to trust himself in the bedroom with Robbie- as much as Doc had explained that he'd never resented him for it, Host had never gotten over his fear that he would hurt someone he loved on accident, just like Author had...

And for President to be with Necro after only a few  _days_...?

"They... after  _everything_  I warned them about, they still-?" Doc started, voice laced with frustration and worry, thinking about the consequences of their actions...

"Ja," Henrik interrupted, biting his lip. "I vas about to ask, but zhen... zhen, Host's breakdown began, und... I had forgotten to mention it until now. I believe zis ist important- something must have..."

"We'll have to ask them, then..." Doc sighed, determined as he fixed Anti with a wary glance. "And... Anti, you should tell Dark about this. If it's as serious as we fear, he... he should know about it,"

_Oh, if Dark only knew how much chaos the Void had fallen into..._

Doc had stopped being so reflexively scared of the demon after several months of living with him- but still, he couldn't deny that Dark was quite menacing when he wanted to be. It was like he radiated fear, filling their hearts with terror, no matter how irrational that terror was... And he was fiercely protective of everyone in this house.

_He'd been very protective of Host, when he'd first become so..._

Doc didn't like to think about it.

"I can try," Anti agreed, nodding softly despite his worry. It seemed that he too had learned the importance of keeping sexual relationships between the right people, as his face had fallen considerably at Henrik's admission. "I mean... he told me he was going to lunch, and he looked like he needed sleep, but I  _might_  catch him in time..."

Henrik shot him a warm, reassuring smile. It was the best he could do not to frown... It wasn't exactly common courtesy to rouse a pregnant person from their well-needed rest, especially so soon after an almost imminent stillbirth. Dark needed to sleep, if only to calm himself from the day's already troubling events...

But his lover was right. Dark  _would_  need to find out, eventually...

Henrik sighed. "Good luck, Bruder... Tell ihn not to vorry. Nobody hier ist in imminent danger..."

Anti smiled wryly, nodding once more. "Alright. I... I'll see if Jack's still around. If he isn't, I'll get Google to send them a message... I'll tell him what happened. You can count on me, Doc,"

"Thank you, Anti," Doc sighed in relief, watching Anti turn his back and retreat down the hall. He met his lover's eyes with trepidation. "You say... they didn't remember what had happened between them- not at all?"

Henrik shook his head sadly. "No... ze last thing zhey remembered vas seeing ze movie zat Blaine projected for zhem. I... I vill have to break it to zhem ze hard vay,"

"I'll be with you," Doc promised, lacing their hands together. After all Henrik had done to help him through Author's return, it was the least he could do to promise that support in return. "I'll help, in any way I can..."

Henrik smiled, giving Doc a quick kiss on the cheek before he opened the office door. This... it was a minor hitch in their plans, he'd admit. But they were working through it- before long they'd be married, and surely that event would settle them just enough so that they could have a few days alone, unworrying... Henrik couldn't wait for their honeymoon. 

"I know you vill..."

**~Groundlands~**

"Anti's trying to possess me again,"

Seán sighed to himself, holding his head in his hands as the table's other occupants turned to look at him. His head was pounding insistently, his heart racing... but Anti wouldn't hurt him, he knew that.

Or... well, Seán didn't quite know what to believe anymore. Perhaps he'd been too naive in trusting that glitch- perhaps, he was  _part_ of this entire cover-up to distract him from the loss of his memories. Mark had returned looking a little tense, apologising, saying that it was best if Seán didn't know what had been taken from him.

What the  _hell_  had happened, to cause him to act this way?

"Well... why aren't you letting him?" Amy asked, brows furrowed as she looked on in concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just  _fine_ , for someone who doesn't remember what the fook happened to make everyone so nervous,"

Mark sighed reluctantly. "Seán-"

"No!" Seán snapped, folding his arms, his outburst shocking the table's occupants slightly. "Unless you're ready to tell me just what's been goin' on, I don't want to hear it!"

The pain only deepened, but Seán stood his ground, fixing Mark with the best glare he could manage. He didn't hate the man- but  _damn_ , did he want to punch something. He couldn't tell if it was the pounding in his head, or the frustration at being blatantly  _lied_  to... But he couldn't live like this.

He'd rather live with whatever pain he'd been absolved of than this  _burning_ curiosity...

"I can't- I can't deal with this ego shit anymore, not when I'm in the dark about it..."

"We  _have_  to go through with this wedding," Mark refused adamantly, though the admission looked a little strained. "We've prepared everything already- and they're counting on-"

"I'm not talkin' about the  _wedding_ ," Seán huffed. "I could give two  _shits_ about that- It's  _Dark_. Keepin' secrets, I... I don't want to deal with it any more,"

"Then why are you shutting Anti out?" Robin asked. "If he didn't do anything to-?"

"Because why the  _fook_ would he want to be here if it weren't for Dark?" Seán muttered. "I'm not talkin' to her until she gives back what she took from me... and if Anti has to suffer through that, maybe Dark'll change her fookin' mind about this-"

"It's not that  _simple_ ," Mark argued, trying his best not to grit his teeth. "Can't you just... just trust that I know the way this has to be?"

"I thought  _you_  of all people would understand," Seán grimaced, shaking his head. " _You_ were the one tellin' me not to trust him back at my place, and now you're all buddy-buddy?"

"He's my  _grandpa_ ," Mark defended snappily. "He's  _family_ \- and that means that Anti, and the baby? They're family too. What you knew... it was hurting them, and it was hurting  _you_. You're better off without it,"

"You can't  _know_  that!" Seán practically shouted, tears welling in his eyes at the pain still coursing through his head. Ever fibre, every muscle... he felt as though he was burning. And then...

Then, it stopped. Anti had given up- and for the first time, Seán almost felt remorse for not letting the glitch bitch in...

But he  _had_  to know. He couldn't just  _give in_ \- he couldn't just let people walk all over him anymore. 2017 had been a shitty year, 2018 didn't need to follow suit... it was time to let go of the things holding him down. His old ties, his old life...

_It was time to let go of Dark..._

He collapsed in his chair, suddenly feeling exhausted, but he tried his best to shake the fatigue away. He didn't need to be babied here- he was a grown man who could make his own decisions, why should he believe them? For all he knew, Dark could have them under some kind of demon magic, just commanding them to do his bidding... well, Seán wanted no part in it.

He'd thought he could trust Dark. He'd thought... he'd thought they were friends.

He supposed that's what he deserved for getting too close to a demon...

**~Void~**

The other egos seemed to flinch when the door was opened- all turning to face it, questions burning on their lips. Henrik felt a little queasy- Marvin was standing there, muttering something to Yan as he held onto his boyfriend's hand tightly. He certainly wouldn't be pleased to hear what they had to say.

But then, would anybody? Henrik couldn't speak for everyone, but he knew that he wouldn't like it if he found out he'd been part of a sexual encounter unknowingly with someone other than his love. Even if that someone just so happened to contain them, it just didn't feel  _right_.

And given Marvin's new connection to his power, Henrik felt more than a little frightened. Marvin clearly wasn't in control of himself- and hearing this could be the catalyst to tip his already whirring mind over the edge...

"I know you're thinking of avoiding this," Doc murmured into his ear, giving Henrik's hand a gentle squeeze. "It won't be easy for them to accept, but... but they need to know. It's their  _right_ to know..."

"I know zat," Henrik sighed in defeat. His lover was right- they had no right to keep this information from them. They deserved to know the truth, no matter how hard it hurt them... Henrik just hated being the one to break it to them. He didn't want to see the raw emotion on their faces...

_I wanted to be a real doctor... and this is part of that. It's about time I broke past this reluctance, isn't it?_

"Marvin," Henrik called softly, figuring that getting Robbie alone would be much more difficult than speaking to Marvin and Yan separately. Of course, the zombie would have to find out eventually- but not now. Not when his brothers were promising not to leave his side at any cost... 

"I... I vill need to speak vith you und Yan. Privately, if zat ist alright vith you..."

Breathe in, then out... Doc's fingers twitched thoughtfully in his own.

_I can do this..._

"Yeah, sure..." Marvin swallowed, looking more than a little pale. He didn't seem to be too thrilled with his earlier magical performance, even still... Henrik wanted him to know how talented he really was, but the poor man would never listen to him. Hopefully, Yan could convince him that he wasn't the failure he believed himself to be...

"In here," Doc ushered, eyeing the other egos threateningly until they looked away. This matter was best kept as private as they could manage- and if nobody had an emotional outburst, that goal would be much easier to accomplish.

There was nothing they could do but hope it wouldn't shatter Marvin and Yan to know what had really happened between their fusions. Doc knew it would shatter  _him_...

"W-what's wrong?" Yan asked, voice still a little shaky from the first encounter with Host. Doc knew that the answers they needed would have to come from Yan- and Marvin wouldn't like that. He was... well,  _fiercely protective_ , when he felt his lover was threatened. And now that they seemed to have sorted out their problems for the moment, they were as loyal and protective of each other as ever. They were dangerous, these two... they didn't seem to realise it, but they'd both kill for the others' benefit, even if Yan was much more open about his violent tendencies than Marvin was.

"Yeah, what... what's up?" Marvin asked, biting his lip worriedly. "You've got your serious doctor faces on..."

"Vell, zis matter is... quite delicate," Henrik sighed. "Please, try to remain calm... vhen I found you zis Morgen, your fusions..."

He looked to his fiance for support- Doc had always been better at breaking things like this to the patients... albeit, those patients sometimes reacted terribly to the bluntness of it all.

_It is what Marvin and Yan need, however..._

"To put it bluntly, Necromancer and President were sexually involved," Doc muttered, not quite meeting Marvin's eyes.

The reaction... wasn't as immediate as they'd feared. And yet, somehow, the anticlimax was even more disconcerting than the shouting they'd initially anticipated. Silence, for a few moments, and then-

"They  _what_?" Marvin deadpanned, fingers curling even more protectively around Yan's. Yan himself couldn't seem to manage anything beyond a gasp, eyes widening. Tears brimmed and trickled down his cheeks, but he didn't wipe them away. He leaned into Marvin's side, holding him around the middle.

_He knows something..._

It was a benefit, sometimes, that Doc was so skilled at reading his brothers' faces...

"I vould have told you sooner, Marvin, I promise you..." Henrik murmured regretfully. "But vith vhat happened to Host, I..."

"No, it's- it's just... w-we couldn't remember that," Marvin shivered, blinking in bafflement as if he didn't want to believe it. "We couldn't... we didn't s-say they could  _do_ that, we... we all agreed we didn't have to..."

"W-we never w-wanted to..." Yan agreed, sniffling a little and wiping his face somewhat cleaner. Doc fixed him with a worried look, slowly walking over and placing a hand on Yan's shoulder. Marvin watched him with steely eyes as Doc detached Yan's hand from Marvin's, tugging him to one side. Yan seemed to whimper, avoiding his gaze- yes, something was  _definitely_ wrong here...

"Yan... I need to know," Doc swallowed nervously, treading as carefully as he could, knowing just how fragile the yandere could be in a state like this. "I need to know what happened when you were part of President."

"I d-don't know," Yan sniffed, shaking his head reluctantly, almost  _too_  quickly. "I don't r-remember, I just... felt so hopeless, and  _horrible_... like I'd n-never be good enough, like I'd never make him h-happy..."

Doc's expression softened at that- the fusion... it was clearly an emotional experience for everyone involved. Doc hadn't turned to the bottle for the first time in years over nothing, back in May... "And you... you don't usually feel that way, do you?"

"N-no, of course n-not," Yan denied, appearing to reach subconsciously for Marvin's fingers, wincing when his hand met only cool air. "I-I... I mean, I... I didn't usually f-feel confident about m-my relationship, but... but never like  _this_. It was l-like... like I was feeling s-somebody else's feelings, and... and they were  _choking_  me..."

"Host's feelings?" Doc probed hesitantly, Anti's earlier recount of his fusion with Jameson clear in his mind. It was evident that the nature of Host and Yan's fusion was extremely emotionally-driven. Doc would have expected nothing less of the both of them, knowing firsthand just how emotional Host really was underneath his mask of indifference...

"Will ye leave my fookin' boyfriend  _alone_?" Marvin asked lowly, entwining his hand with Yan's once more and glaring intensely at Doc until he started to back away. He'd been watching the whole time, waiting for the chance to intervene... he didn't like seeing his partner so upset.

Doc could understand that. 

"I... I understand ye need to know this shit, but-"

"I know zis kann nicht be easy for you," Henrik sighed, tugging Doc back a little by the fabric of his coat, sensing that this might be happening too quickly for Yan to cope. "I do not vant to pressure you, but... if zhere is anything you can give us to go on, it vill be-"

"It w-wasn't Host," Yan interceded, shaking his head as his lips trembled. "I-I know, it... it seems like he's the b-bad guy here, but he... he felt even  _worse_ than I did. He was... screaming. In p-pain, and every time I... Every time  _we_..."

Marvin hushed Yan softly, wrapping his arms around the slightly larger man and holding him close. Yan buried his head in Marvin's shoulder, appearing to break just a little further, tensing up when he felt Marvin whispering in his ear. Little reassurances, praise, hope... it wasn't enough, but Yan knew that nothing could ever be enough for this.

This... it would haunt them forever, wouldn't it?

"I... I'm sorry for making you two feel uncomfortable," Doc sighed, folding his arms morosely and stepping back further. "I'm... not really known for giving patients enough time to handle these sorts of things. Neither of us are judging you. We... we're all having a difficult time today..."

Henrik smiled through a grimace, resting a hand on Doc's forearm. He really was strong to be handling this on top of his mixed feelings about Author's return... it was something Henrik had always envied about him. His willingness to shove his feelings aside in order to help the people around him... Henrik felt he could never be so selfless.

"If it vill be easier for you, ve kann leave you to talk zis out... but ve vill need to know vhat really happened, eventually. I... Ve vill give you space..."

Doc didn't want to leave without his answers, but... Henrik was right. Those two weren't like everyone else- they held grudges, they felt things more intensely than the others did... They were taking this differently than the others would.

The others, like Jackie and Chase, they... they'd shout about it. They'd get outwardly angry, they'd swear until they felt it was all out of their system. Robbie would deny it, insisting that he knew best, that this couldn't have happened... Anti would likely turn inwardly violent, his tears being the only thing betraying his grief, scratching marks into his arms to ground himself...

Marvin and Yan weren't like that. They were expressive about what they loved, what they were proud of, what they felt was beautiful... but they kept their negative emotions bottled away, not even addressing them, until they  _snapped_. They didn't take their anger out on themselves, nor on the objects around them.

Neither of them could even  _influence_ the direction of their carnage...

Marvin didn't trust himself to groan aloud until the door was closed. He let the tears he'd been hiding burst forth, he let his lips quiver and tremble until he was a shuddering, sobbing mess of a man. How could he even  _try_ to be there for Yan when he was on the brink of crying just  _thinking_ about this?

He'd never even considered that this could be something to worry about- sex was the last thing on his mind when he fused with Robbie, and sex was the last thing Necro had cared about while they were fused together... how had this happened? How had it all turned so  _chaotic_?

"I never w-wanted this," Marvin shuddered, folding his arms. His hair was damp, curled in little ringlets that caught his tears when they fell from his chin- and Yan was there, brushing the bright green curls aside, resting his clammy fingers on Marvin's pale cheek. "All I wanted was f-for us to be happy, Yan... we're n-not happy like  _this_ ,"

"I'm h-happy when you are," Yan sniffed, meeting his lover's eyes sadly. "I-I... I never knew h-happiness until I met you, a-and...  _fuck_ , Marv, are you o-okay?"

Marvin didn't  _feel_ okay. Marvin didn't feel...  _anything_. He was numb,  _cold_ , and... and it was like the magic had disappeared. The sparks, the light... he couldn't see it. He couldn't see  _any_  of it now.

He didn't feel powerful enough for  _this_.

"N-no..." Marvin admitted softly, knowing that Yan was well aware of it already. Saying it aloud... it was supposed to help, wasn't it?

It only seemed to be making the air so much more difficult to  _breathe_...

"I'm n-not okay either," Yan sobbed into Marvin's shoulder, hugging him close as he drowned them both in endless tears. "I-I... I want to h-help, but I don't  _remember_ , and I..."

"I don't remember either," Marvin muttered, grabbing Yan's hair in fistfuls and holding him just as tightly, almost afraid to let go. "I... I shouldn't have let this shit happen, Yan, I'm so  _sorry_... It's all my fault-"

"I should have made P-President unfuse as soon as I started feeling worthless!" Yan cried, trembling in Marvin's arms.

"You... you felt  _worthless_?" Marvin echoed, face falling as his heart stirred in sympathy. "Oh... baby,  _no_..."

"I'm s-sorry," Yan sniffed, still clutching Marvin's shirt tightly, holding on as if Marvin was the last thing he still treasured... in a way, he kind of was. "I didn't m-mean for this, I... I let him hurt you, I  _know_ that..."

"You didn't do  _any_  of this," Marvin argued defiantly, the numbness giving way as it always did to a pit of anger, rising up inside... "Listen, Yan... I don't r-remember what happened between us, when we were... when Necro and President were here, but... but I'm sure they didn't mean to hurt anyone. You've done  _nothing_  wrong..."

Yan was silent. Then...

"We c-can't keep having this argument," Yan murmured, biting his lip. "W-we... we're saying the s-same old things, and it... it's getting us  _nowhere_..."

"I don't know how to say anything else..." Marvin uttered after a moment of deliberation. It was true... they'd been stuck in an endless loop of pushing down their troubles, their flaws, their arguments... they'd always just ignored them, pretending nothing had happened. Pretending that everything was  _okay_... they didn't know how to fix this. They didn't know how to fix  _themselves_...

"I... I'm lost... I d-don't know what this  _means_... it's important, isn't it? It  _has_  to be... I f-feel so... so  _stupid_..."

"It feels important," Yan agreed, and he wasted no time in scooping Marvin up, tugging him closer. Before Marvin could question him, he felt his lover's wet, desperate kiss on his lips. He relented to the touch, losing himself in it, letting the erratic thumping of his heart cloud the troubling thoughts in his mind...

The magic... Marvin almost felt it again.

_But we can't keep doing this..._

They didn't so much break apart as they did collapse together, leaning on each other unwittingly for support. Yan buried his face in Marvin's shoulder, and Marvin snaked his arms around Yan's torso, and they stayed that way a while. Struggling to breathe through the tears, the hurt, the  _betrayal_...

Who had made that choice for them?

"S-sex  _is_ important," Yan breathed through a shudder, brows furrowed and forehead creased, skin red around his eyes. "And... none of our brothers seem to get that, but I... I'd  _never_ want to share it with  _anyone_ but you. I... I see all this m-mess, with Host, and Blank, and... and Anti, and I... I don't w-want that to happen to us, M-Marv, I... I was always able to keep myself together knowing that we m-might not be the most s-stable couple, but..."

Yan let out a strangled huff of frustration, his tears streaming faster. "We're  _c-committed_. We're not part of their s-stupid little love web, but... but now we..."

"I don't... I don't know how to  _feel_ ," Marvin whispered, resting his head on Yan's shoulder. And this time, it seemed... he meant it both literally  _and_ figuratively. Was this what Yan experienced, in all those months he'd spent alone? Waiting around for the Senpai he'd been programmed to think would solve everything, when they finally met? The aching numbness inside, the feeling of being  _lost_...?

_I could never be that person for him... What if the real reason I despise that word is because I couldn't ever see myself filling that hole in his heart...?_

He'd promised Yan he wouldn't let those doubts get hold of him again. He'd  _promised..._

But then, he'd promised Yan so many things. He'd promised his faithfulness, he'd promised his  _love_... when had he ever fulfilled those empty words?

"I... I should b-be more certain of... but... goddamnit, Yan, what if I  _wanted_  it? What if I only th-think I-?"

"You  _didn't_ want it..." Yan sniffed, shaking his head. He seemed so certain, so unfaltering... Marvin couldn't understand it. "You didn't want it, he... he took you away. He took us  _all_ away so that we couldn't stop him, I..."

Yan choked on a sob, clenching his fists and folding his arms, forcing Marvin away from him suddenly. He was shivering,  _shaking_...

"Yan...?" Marvin breathed uncertainly.

"I... I  _saw_  it, in a v-vision..." Yan whispered, barely even audibly. It was as if he was  _scared_  of how Marvin would react... Marvin never wanted Yan to be scared of him.

_Yan never wanted me to be scared of him, either..._

Why didn't they trust each other?

"H-Host said it wasn't inevitable b-but... but it was m-my fault, I didn't  _warn_ you... I c-could have..."

"Yan- no, you're  _shaking_ ," Marvin shook his head, encompassing Yan in another hug, this time not pulling away, even when Yan tried to struggle. "This wasn't  _your_ fault, it... you'd  _never_  do that..."

"Y-you really think so?" Yan stuttered out, gaze wavering as he met Marvin's reddened eyes. He didn't seem so sure, and yet... Marvin knew him better than that. Yan would rather die than give him up- he'd  _never_  let Marvin sleep with just anyone, he was so territorial and obsessive that he'd likely kill whoever tried to touch the magician,  _especially_  if Marvin didn't want it.

_Why... why doesn't this make any sense?_

"I know so," Marvin promised, smiling faintly through pursed lips. It was the one thing he was sure of in this whole ordeal- Yan's beliefs would never allow him to let that happen. "You... you couldn't have known this would... oh, Yan, I'm so  _sorry_..."

"D-don't be-"

"I'm  _sorry_ ," Marvin repeated, determined to make this  _somewhat_ right again. "I'm s-sorry that this all had to happen... I don't want to think about it. I don't want to remember, I just... I just want to put this behind us and m-move on..."

"I know,"  Yan whispered, his voice catching with grief. "B-but... but they want to know why, and I... I can't t-tell them, only P-President even knows what r-really happened, and-"

"If you and Author even f-fused again, I... I don't know if you'd still be President," Marvin muttered, desperately trying to think of a solution to this mess. "I don't know if... if we can get him back,"

"I don't  _want_  him to come back," Yan interrupted hastily, his breath hitching as his eyes startled open in terror. " _Please_  d-don't even... he... I don't w-want him  _here_  anymore..."

"We don't need to do that," Marvin reassured, wondering just what had happened to bring Yan so much terror at hearing President's name... what had happened while they'd been fused? Yan definitely knew more than he was letting on, but... well, Marvin knew all about needing space. He didn't want to push Yan into a conversation he was trying to avoid- they were on the right track at last, but they weren't completely fixed just yet.

One day, Yan would trust him enough to share even his darkest secrets. One day, Marvin would be able to do the same...

_One day, we can be the perfect couple we always wanted to be..._

"But... President wasn't the only one there," Marvin realised, coming to a sudden conclusion. "Yan, you can... you can talk to Necromancer! We need to know what happened, and... if Necro is the only one that can do that-"

"But... can Robbie even fuse in this state?" Yan asked softly, worried. He seemed like he wanted to elaborate, but he couldn't find the words- and Marvin... Marvin could relate to that.

It was helpful that this was a plan that could be executed without them.

"We have to  _try_ ," Marvin muttered, wiping his eyes and standing up. Yan's clammy hands had left an impression in his shirt, but he didn't mind that now. He helped his lover to his feet, rubbing a thumb over his knuckles comfortingly. They'd get through this,  _together_...

"O-okay..." Yan agreed breathlessly.

Neither of them hesitated a moment longer before opening the door. They knew that they couldn't procrastinate this- they couldn't shove these feelings down and pretend not to know them, not while Robbie and Host needed their help...

They only hoped that their influence wouldn't bring more harm than good, this time...

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

Anti growled in frustration, finding himself back in his own body, in his own room, every possession attempt he'd made having failed. He'd fought past Jack's resistance before, of course, but... but this was a whole other level of strength. It was as though there was a shield around his mind- a barrier that kept Anti from entering it, no matter what he tried.

Well... there  _was_ always another way.

But Anti had  _changed_. He'd promised himself he wasn't going to hurt himself anymore- he'd promised Schneep, he'd promised  _Dark_... and what kind of example would it set for his daughter if he kept on taking the easy way out?

No... no, he'd have to get a message to Dark another way. He'd have to... to ask Google to send one through, or get someone else to possess Jack, just  _anything_  to help the situation. It... it seemed a lot more serious now than just a case of Author returning. Because if what the doctors were saying was true, Host could be fighting with all his might to keep Author in charge. To keep himself  _away_.

Presumably, to protect Robbie from his own instability...

He wasn't as naive as the Ipliers seemed to believe. He'd known about Author and Doc's troubled relationship- he'd heard the shouting carrying through the halls, no matter how Dark had tried to drown it out. He hadn't mistaken the way the walls had thickened, hadn't just  _accepted_  the idea that Dark suddenly wanted to take Anti and his dog on long walks, far away from the manor...

He wasn't hurt that they'd kept it from him- it really wasn't his business, and he'd never even thought to intervene... But he'd seen how the shifting dynamic of their relationship had damaged them both. Even if they hadn't meant to hurt each other, even if they still loved each other underneath all the surface tension... he'd known all about the trust issues they both had, even after they'd finally ended their relationship.

Doc hadn't wanted to move on, not until literal years had passed. And even then, he was so  _careful_ when he chose his brief partners... he didn't let himself get attached. He didn't let himself fall in love again- he took out his sexual frustration on the likes of Wilford, sometimes disappearing for a few hours, meeting up with other egos he didn't trust enough to spend more than a night with...

Until he met Schneep, Anti was convinced he'd stopped believing in love altogether. It took the doctor over a year to find the right man to settle with, and even still, he  _hated_ being known by the name Author had called him...

It reminded him of the first time he'd given away his heart, only to have it mercilessly broken by forces beyond his control.

And Host- Anti had hardly even  _known_ him. If Author was reclusive, Host could easily be called a hermit- he'd come to live in his office on the first floor of the manor, never leaving for more than a few hours at a time, usually only at Doc's insistence. He was so afraid of leaving, of going outside of his comfort zone, of  _breaking_ all over again...

And the fact that he'd waited ten whole months to let himself pursue a relationship with Robbie was definitely telling that  _something_  was still holding him back.

He just hadn't thought that Host would  _do_ something like this... Author had clung to Doc, even when he knew his madness was causing a rift between them. He'd stayed through the bruises, and the fights, and the shouting... He hadn't wanted to let him go. Shouldn't Host be the same?

He kicked the air in frustration, suddenly remembering why he was here. Jack's reluctance to let him in, Dark's untimely absence... he grimaced, all but slamming his door on his way out of the room. Google... he'd need to find that android, he must be  _somewhere-_

"Watch out!"

Anti stopped just a few feet short of King, narrowly avoiding getting peanut butter all down his shirt in a collision. He glared threateningly at the younger ego, who glared back at him in response, if a little warily. King had never been one to take Anti's shit, not like the others... for someone who kept pet squirrels and said such silly statements, he was tougher than the average ego.

Anti's lip curled in distaste.

"What the  _hell_  are you doing running in the hallway?!" Anti seethed, wondering how he'd managed to keep calm this entire time without breaking. He'd been through hell and back in the past few weeks- he'd learned of Dark's affairs, he'd had some of his own... he'd grown to love his child, only to have her  _ripped_  away in the blink of an eye... he'd learned that his lover, his closest and oldest friend, was actually  _two_  different people, rolled into one.

And he'd tried his  _damn_ hardest to learn how to love them both the way they deserved.

But this? This  _tiny_  little offense, that Anti could almost just  _push aside_  and forget... it was his undoing. For the first time in weeks, he didn't have anything else to worry about than his own frustration- he didn't have anything worth pushing his emotions down for, in the moment.

His eyes flashed dangerously.

"I have had  _enough_  of you all putting yourself in these  _idiotic_  situations!" Anti snapped, pain splitting in his throat at the sheer force of his tone. And King... for the first time ever, he seemed to be  _intimidated_.

Anti should have felt ashamed for loving that reaction  _so_  much.

"I don't know how Dark  _does_ it." He seethed dangerously. " _Dealing_  with everyone's  _stupid_  messes, when it's so  _easy_  to follow a SIMPLE COURTESY!"

"Whoa- hey, Anti- are you okay up here?"

"WERE YOU EVEN  _LOOKING_  WHERE YOU WERE  _GOING_?!" Anti shouted, clenching his fists and biting his lip hard enough to draw blood. He felt fluid dripping down his neck- but he couldn't tell whether it was blood, sweat or tears... He didn't care.

He didn't  _care-_

"Anti, you are  _yelling_ -"

"Not  _now_ , Blaze," Anti hissed, only slightly aware of the warbling disorder in his tone. This... this wasn't good, this wasn't  _alright_. He was craving the release of his blade, digging into his skin, leaving jagged slits across his body- he missed the high that followed the self-mutilation. He missed his  _freedom_...

"I need...  _fuck_ , I need to go stab something-"

"You vill do  _nothing_  of ze sort!"

Anti's outburst seemed to have gathered quite the audience- along with Blaze and King, several other egos had made their way into the hall, looking at him apprehensively with wide eyes. Anti was ashamed to see the fear etched across their features... understandably, they still didn't trust him enough to believe he'd changed.

Perhaps he couldn't hold that against them...

He forced himself to take a breath, slumping against the wall. This... it seemed he wasn't as resilient as he'd thought he was. How long had this all been building up? How many things had he bottled away, shoving down until he was ready to address them?

_Clearly, too many..._

"Sorry," Anti muttered shortly, the bite in his tone not quite gone yet. "I...  _Sorry_."

"Apology accepted..." Doc swallowed. "Anti... I should have known this wouldn't be easy for you. Please, don't push yourself to-"

"Oh, don't you  _dare_  give me that shit!" Anti snapped again, folding his arms and growling under his breath. "Actin' like  _I'm_  the only one hurtin' here- makes me want to tear my fuckin'  _hair_  out, ye know?! I'm not  _weak_ , I can  _handle_   _myself_!"

"You just lost your  _child_!" Doc retorted, eyes narrowing in Anti's direction. Neither of them noticed the series of gasps that sounded around them, the pitiful gazes of the other egos as they reconsidered their initial fears...

"And then I fuckin'  _got her back_!" Anti snarled in response.

"At what  _cost_?" Doc challenged, voice failing toward the end of his sentence. "I didn't have time to discuss what h-happened with you- not before all of this, and... and you can't just push it aside if you're not ready to-"

"Wait- wait, you... you lost the baby?" Jackie uttered, face having fallen considerably at the revelation.

"What the  _fuck_ , Anti, why didn't you tell us?!" Chase demanded, tears shining in his eyes.

"Because it's  _fine_ , and I  _fixed it_." Anti stated through gritted teeth, his heart stirring still despite his knowledge that this was resolved. Dark was going to live- their  _baby_ was going to live... wasn't that all that mattered?

"Her  _heart_  stopped  _beating_ ," Doc continued, his tone barely wavering despite his obvious grief. He'd known how distraught Anti had been- he'd  _seen_  the moment he'd lost all hope, wanting nothing but to have his daughter back...

"What's your  _point_ , Doc?" Anti deadpanned, choking up as he  _remembered_... it really wasn't that long ago, was it? When he'd been so desperate for another chance that he'd have given everything he could do to rewrite history... when he'd begged Dark's cold, lifeless corpse to come back, when he'd shouted at Doc, making him leave the room...

So much had happened in the past few hours that he'd nearly forgotten the fear that had gripped his heart...

"Are you  _shittin_ ' me?!" Marvin growled, stepping forward and grabbing Anti's shoulder forcefully. He had fresh tears in his eyes, though the tracks on his cheeks were certainly older- and his hair was damp and unkempt. But he didn't seem to care about his own problems right now- by the way he had Anti's shirt clenched in his fist, it seemed he was bothered by something else...

"You lost your fookin'  _child_ , and you're tryin' to argue that you're  _fine_?!" Marvin stated in disbelief, shaking his head. " _No_ \- that shit's  _not_  fine, what the  _fuck_ , Anti-?!"

"Are you all  _deaf_?!" Anti shouted, shoving Marvin away from him so that he could tear at his hair in frustration. The small stabs of pain did nothing to relieve the stress of having so many eyes on him at once- so many people, telling him it was alright to sit idle- how could he rest at a time like this?!

"If I hadn't been able to save her, d'you think I'd even be  _talkin_ ' to you all right now?!" Anti growled. "No! I wouldn't be- I'd have gone and done somethin' fuckin' stupid, like hurtin' myself, or tryin' to fight the bitches outside! Why can't you accept that I'm  _fine?!_ "

"Ze fact zat you are shouting vhile you tell us zis is not very convincing, Anti..." Schneep muttered, looking to the ground.

"He's right," Blaze sighed, stepping forward and offering Anti a hug. As much as the comfort might have been welcome at another time, Anti didn't want to give in- he didn't want to admit that there was something wrong, something  _gnawing_  at him, even if the danger was all gone. They were right... he wouldn't be reacting like this unless he really wasn't fine.

_But I don't have the right to feel this way... I'm not even the one that died... I'm not even the one that sacrificed myself to save her..._

He refused the embrace.

"Fuck off," Anti muttered halfheartedly, folding his arms again and staring at his feet. He ignored the sting of the tears in his eyes, ignored the warmth that was spreading through him as he found himself trapped in someone's arms- he didn't care enough to determine whose...

"No, I don't think I will," Chase huffed. "You know what, Anti? Robbie  _does_  need help. He's stuck in that bed, can't move a fuckin' muscle... but he'll  _live_. One way or another, he'll be back to how he was before. But you don't just... just  _bounce_   _back_ from losing your kid like that, even if it's fixable,"

"What the hell would  _you_  know about-?"

"Holly Elizabeth Brody," Chase muttered, cutting Anti off fiercely. His eyes seemed especially dim- teary, and filled with remorse. "Emma was eight, Trey was three. They were both so excited to meet their little sister- Stacy and I were moving into a bigger house, and we were going to build a nursery for her. She was so happy- she wasn't even worried about the cost of a big family, because she loved our kids so much... We were just finishing painting the walls, when she fainted and fell..."

Anti's heart sank, realising what Chase was saying. "Chase-"

"Type 2 diabetes," Chase continued, his voice only a little shaky. "She was diagnosed a year back... we thought we could make it, but by the time we got to a hospital, the baby was g-gone..."

Blaine stepped forward, resting a hand on Chase's shoulder as he looked worriedly at Anti. Nobody else dared to speak- and Anti... somehow, Anti felt worse.

"Eleven weeks, Anti," Chase murmured, biting his lip as he stared down. The tears in his eyes brimmed and spilled down his cheeks, pooling in the creases of Anti's shirt. "We only had her for eleven weeks, but when we lost her... nothing was the same. The kids were devastated, Stacy was depressed... we never tried again. We didn't want to lose another baby. We kept a framed picture of her last ultrasound on the mantle... She's still not over it. I...  _I'm_ still not over it. Losing someone you helped bring into the world, it... it messes with your head, Anti. You're  _not_  fine, because for at least a moment there, you felt your  _entire_ world crumble around you. It's okay to be upset about shit like this..."

"Chase-"

"This isn't about  _me_ ," Chase denied, cutting Jackie off, but letting the red-clad hero walk over to them anyway. "I've had years to grieve, and two other kids to cherish... I'm sure that... that before I came here, I knew her in a better place..."

_In another realm... one you were stolen from by Jack..._

"But  _Anti_ ," Chase continued, reluctantly letting go of his eldest brother, keeping an arm slung around his shoulder. "Hasn't had a  _goddamn_ minute to himself- look, dude, I'm here for you. If you want to talk about-"

" _No_ ," Anti huffed, wiping furiously at his tears. "I... I'm sorry about your kid, but mine is alive and well, and I... I d-don't want to think about it, anymore..."

"Tough, because I'm  _not_  letting you do this alone," Chase promised.

"I'm with you," Jackie agreed, giving Anti a determined look. "Any way I can help, I'll do it,"

Jameson smiled as he stepped forward, giving Anti a hearty clap on the shoulder. He was in, too.

"I... I'll catch up with you guys later," Marvin swallowed, "I need to... do something about Robbie, but- hey, watch out for him, alright?"

"Right," Chase affirmed.

"Thanks, Marv..." Anti sighed. It seemed that despite his reluctance to accept it, his brothers really did care. It was... well, it was definitely knew, but as he let Chase's grip tighten around his chest, felt Jackie and JJ enclosing him on either side... It was a smothering embrace, but sometimes Anti  _needed_ to be smothered just to lose himself and forget his problems...

Marvin smiled reassuringly, joining in on the group hug- and Anti could feel a slight electric shock as Blaine lent his arms to the cause. Schneep, wisely, didn't seem to want involvement- he only smiled knowingly at Anti, hand creeping around Doc's, murmuring something into his fiance's ear.

Doc paled at the words. "Anti- did you find a way to speak to Dark?"

"No..." Anti sighed heavily, resting his head on Chase's shoulder when nobody made to move away. "Jack isn't lettin' me in- I was just tryin' to find Google, and-"

"That's all I needed to hear," Doc sighed, shaking his head. "Chase, please, take him somewhere he won't worry about what's happening. He doesn't need this added stress..."

"Hey, I-!" Anti argued indignantly, but Chase wasn't letting him go. " _C'mon_ , Brody, just-"

"Doctor's orders," Chase smiled smugly. "It's not healthy to overwork yourself, y'know- let's go watch a movie, or something..."

"I'll come," Blaine offered.

"Marv- you'll be okay alone?" Jackie asked hesitantly, looking just a little torn.

Marvin smiled as he nodded, fingers lacing with Yan's as he backed slowly away from Anti's form. "Yeah, I'll only be a little while... something Yan and I need to do about the whole... Robbie, thing. Don't wait up,"

Jackie let out a small chuckle. "Alright... I'm in, too."

Jameson threw an arm around Jackie's shoulder, linking his other with Anti's. The glitch couldn't help but let out a little snort, his heart welling in his chest.

"I mean... I'd come along too, but I figured I'd see if I can heal the guy," Blaze shrugged, giving Anti a reassuring (and wholly unwanted) pat on the back. He smiled at Anti's scowl- really, he'd missed the guy. The sweet, saccharine shtick he'd worn for the first few days of Blaze's return had been unnerving- it was great to have the old, sarcastic, snarky Anti back.

Anti gave him a reluctant smile in return. "Noble of you..."

"Yeah, I've picked up that family time and friend time are two different things for you," Blaze snorted, shaking his head. "But I'll be stopping by later- don't you worry about that..."

"Oh, brilliant," Anti muttered to himself. "Well... good luck. I hope you guys can sort out a bit of this mess, and... I guess you'll need this,"

He reached into his back pocket, pulling out the only key to Author's room, and handed it shakily to Doc. Doc gulped heavily as he weighed it in his hand, looking nervously at the locked door at the hall's end. He... he didn't think he was quite ready to follow through with that yet. He'd have to tell Author everything- how he'd stayed with Host, how they'd fallen apart... how Host had moved on with a man he'd unwittingly injured, who wanted nothing more than to know if he was okay. Author would want to meet Robbie, and  _then_...

It was maddening just thinking about it.

"T-thank you, Anti," Doc muttered, looking at his feet. "Go now- if you've any luck, you'll be over this before you know it..."

"I want to see-"

"Nobody is seeing Author," Doc finalised, tucking the key securely in his pocket. He faced King with a reluctant stare- he'd been a little shocked at the thought of Anti losing his daughter, but overall he just seemed... sad. Doc couldn't blame him. Losing Bim had taken its toll on everyone, but King... it was plain to see that there was something between them that neither knew how to address. 

And the lack of understanding between them when Bim had been torn away... it was clearly weighing on King's mind that he hadn't had the chance to apologise.

"Not until... not until we figure out what's going on here. But I might just have another task for you, Squirrels..."

If Seán wasn't letting Anti in, they'd have to think of another way to get in touch with their friends in the Groundlands. And with Doc preoccupied dealing with Robbie and Author, there was  _no way_ he could feel comfortable leaving Henrik behind... Mark would have to be open to possession. He  _always_  was.

Just... perhaps not from himself...

"I need you to deliver a message,"

King gulped heavily, biting his lip. "I'm in..."

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Sit down," Chase commanded, shoving Anti's shoulders down and forcing the glitch onto his bed. Anti barely put up a fight- he merely sighed, letting the covers crease as his brothers clambered to sit beside him, crowding him... somehow, he knew that even if he summoned more furniture, they'd insist on being close to him.

_Overwhelming little shits..._

"You always this commandin'?" Anti muttered as Chase made himself at home by his side. Jameson wasn't familiar with his real bedroom- really, nobody but Anti was. He'd walked over to inspect the large mirror on the wall, examining its ornate patterned filigree... he seemed pleased. Dark clearly had good taste in mirrors...

Blaine and Jackie had taken up seats on either side of Anti and Chase- and Anti wasn't used to this company  _at all_. He'd never shared his bed with anyone- it was much smaller than Dark's, and even then, Anti often felt like Dark's bed was hardly big enough for the both of them.

"That's for me to know, and for you to... no, Dark might murder me if I imply I'd fuck ye," Chase smirked.

Anti never  _could_ tell when he was joking...

"Alright, Chase, stop bein' weird..." Jackie tsked, shaking his head. "Anti... what happened? How'd ye lose... just, what's up? You sure you're okay?"

Anti sighed heavily, resting his head in his hands. What  _had_  happened? The best he could do was guess- he hadn't even spent ten minutes with Dark after the situation to understand it wholly- he'd been thrust immediately into Host and Robbie's drama, with hardly a second to  _breathe_...

"I... Dark and I were talkin' earlier," Anti sniffed, wiping his residual tears away. The emotions never did leave easily, even after the conversations long ended... "And she goes and says... 'Anti, I wish you could feel how happy she is to s-see you'..."

Unbeknownst to Anti, Jackie seemed to frown in thought. He met Chase's eyes briefly-  _"She?"_

Chase shrugged. "Look, man, Dark's a fookin' mystery to me..."

Anti smiled slightly. "Yeah, D-Dark's... I think it's genderfluid. Changes from man to woman, gets real distressed when she's caught in between..."

"Bet that makes for an exciting sex life," Chase smirked knowingly.

Anti didn't feel entirely comfortable with that statement- but it was out, and it was said, and he'd already half-nodded along... he let his lips twitch faintly. It wasn't as if he was going to deny that Dark's body was amazing in all forms.

"You've no idea... but she asks me to feel the baby, and I... I reach out... I didn't  _feel_  anything, but Dark went pale and f-fainted..."

Anti shuddered. "She said... she said the baby w-wasn't talkin' to her anymore. That she'd gone quiet, and... that's all I..."

"Shit, Anti..." Jackie muttered, struggling to comprehend the situation. "You... what happened, after that?"

"I possessed Jack," Anti admitted. "I... I was panickin', guys, I ran upstairs and... she was just... just  _lyin'_  there, all cold and white... I thought I'd lost her. B-both of them..."

Chase's hand reached around Anti's waist, tugging him closer, sighing contently as he felt Anti relax into the hug. Not only the baby, then... Anti must have been terrified at the thought of losing both Dark and their unborn child. Chase could understand what Anti was going through, perhaps even better than the rest of his brothers. Dark had been one of the only people Anti trusted and loved... without him, it would have been hard for Anti to break free of his own grief.

And he'd seemed perfectly fine until that incident in the hall- though if running into King could trigger him into a meltdown, Chase was sure that it'd have happened regardless. He knew how things like this worked, after all- it didn't matter what happened if someone was this close to tipping over the edge...

"I didn't want to admit it," Anti swallowed, closing his eyes. "I didn't w-want to think she was really... really  _gone_  like that, and... and I shouted a bit at Doc. He didn't deserve it, I... I should apologise-"

"You said you fixed it, right?" Blaine interrupted, curiosity burning behind his optics. "How? If they were... dead, I mean?"

"Well... Dark's kinda... made up of three different people," Anti admitted, though he'd tensed a little at the bluntness of Blaine's sentence. "It's... a long fuckin' story, but- one of them, her name's Celine, she... she put herself in Jack's body and turned it into a physical space. It was... I can't explain it, but... she helped me fix what happened. My... glitch, I absorbed it, when I felt for her. I... I didn't want her to grow up like I did, and it must have... I don't know, caused a reaction. Celine helped me put it back... really,  _she_  fixed it,"

Jameson had stopped dead. His face fell, and he stopped examining the mirror, quickly burying his head in his hands... was it something Anti had said? Was it...  _oh_...

_Celine..._

"I, uhm... sorry, JJ, I didn't even-" Anti began, guilt pooling up inside. Of course,  _Celine_ \- Wilford hadn't ever stopped talking about her, and it seemed that she was on his mind even when he was in a relationship with someone else... what did Jameson think of her? How would he have reacted if he'd known that Celine was part of Dark, sooner?

"Uh... what?" Chase asked, clueless as ever. Jackie stood silently, walking over and placing a hand on Jameson's shoulder. The mute leaned subconsciously into his touch, the ghost of tears falling down his cheek... Anti felt terrible. He should've known that Jameson wouldn't take kindly to hearing that name- if Wilford had spoken so highly of her even through their relationship, of course he'd be upset.

"Celine..." Anti swallowed, trying to think of a concise explanation. Really, there was so much exposition here that it might take several books to coherently explain it all... "She... well, she used to be in a relationship with Will. Like, really,  _really_  long ago... back when they were still normal humans."

"Ah..." Chase muttered awkwardly, seeming to regret asking. "Right. I think I heard him mention that, once... never thought to imagine Celine was really just Dark all along. You think that's why Dark and Will...?"

"Yeah, it's... it was her," Anti murmured. Jameson seemed to flinch, and Anti's heart sank in his chest. Oh... had Dark and Wilford been together so recently? Had they slept together during Jameson's time with Wilford?

Anti felt his gut fill with pity, and he reached out to beckon JJ closer. It seemed that neither of them were faring well with the news of Dark and Will's affair...

"Well- it's not that simple, really," Anti sighed, looking away from the man he'd brought to tears when Jameson didn't follow. The mute was wrapped in a hug, Jackie leading him to sit by the end of the bed... if there was anything Anti could do to help, he'd have done it. But there wasn't really anything else he could say... if Wilford had gloated about Celine during their relationship, it was a problem that Jameson would need to sort out with the pink-mustached man himself.

No matter how impossible that really was, right now...

"Dark... he's part Celine, but he's also part Damien. They're brother and sister- twins, I think. Then, there's a French demon named Tenebreux, and they all share the body of someone who used to be a friend..." Anti muttered. "I... they only just told me, the other week... it's information they don't want Wilford to find out about,"

"That's some complicated shit," Chase whistled lowly, looking like he didn't know how to respond. Anti could understand that- it was definitely a lot to take in. "Man, I do not envy you... is Damien the one that Wilford always used to compare Dark to? Kind of ironic, huh?"

"Oh, you could look back at any of the shit he says in a new light after this," Anti sighed softly. "But... yeah, they're all... separate people. Celine and I helped put the glitch back, and Damien and Tenebreux kept her spirit anchored to her body... it wasn't hard once we got over the shock of losing her. I... I didn't get the time to say anything to her, before I heard that  _scream_..."

"And Jack isn't letting you in?" Blaine probed, worried.

"No- I've got no idea why, but..."

"He's not lettin' me in either," Jackie murmured, looking up from the end of the bed, his arms still wrapped around a slightly-happier Jameson. He didn't look like he was going to leave, even after JJ's mood was lifted. Anti didn't want to worry himself, but he felt he should warn Jameson that Jackie tended to be a bit... clingy, with people he cared about.

Though maybe, Jameson needed that right now...

"I tried as soon as ye said it... It's not just you, clearly. I hope he's alright..."

"I'm sure he's fine," Anti swallowed down, not wanting to think about what could have gone wrong. If something had happened to Jack, there was no telling what might have happened to Dark as well... "I mean... it just felt like there was resistance, and every time I've killed to get in, I..."

Anti bowed his head quickly, knowing how sensitive this topic was for the other occupants of his room. He hadn't mentioned anything about killing their original in a while, and it sometimes felt like they'd all forgotten... but they hadn't. He could see it in the way Jackie flinched, and Jameson looked sadly at the ground. He could feel it in the pangs that still ached in his chest...

"S-sorry..."

"Look, none of us can deny the shit that already happened," Chase argued in his defense. "It's not like any of us are ignorant to what you did- we've all done shameful stuff before, right guys?"

Jameson nodded, and Blaine gave Anti a knowing, sympathetic smile. Jackie, though still a little tense, let out a small sigh of agreement.

Anti's lips twitched.

"Thanks, guys..." Anti sighed, his chest still heaving, trying to calm himself down. "I... I'm not even bothered by what happened, really- not anymore. It's like... I came to terms with it in my mind, but my heart wants to play catch-ups. Feeling all this shit, all over again... 'M sorry I scared you all in the hallway. I just d-don't know how to deal with it all in the m-moment..."

Chase hugged him again, and Blaine followed suit- Jackie and Jameson simply looked on in sympathy. They seemed... happy, together.

_Together?_

No, perhaps not... but the companionship was definitely something the both of them needed. Anti was happy for them, really- if only he'd had someone to fall back on when the loneliness had started reigning...

"Antithesis- Dear, I'm so sorry, I came as quick as I- oh..."

Anti's eyes snapped open, focusing quickly on his mirror. That voice... Dark was supposed to be sleeping, wasn't he?

_No, she... she's still female...?_

Anti hadn't expected her to be so comfortable in her female form already. But he couldn't help smiling anyway, ignoring the gobsmacked expressions of his brothers as he wandered over to the mirror, reaching out to grasp his lover's hand. Dark was definitely tired- dishevelled and shaken, and if the bags under her eyes were any indication, she'd been roused from her sleep recently... how had she known to visit him?

Who was it that had gotten through?

"Darky..." Anti sighed in relief, pressing his forehead to the glass. "I... I was tryin' to possess Jack, but he-"

"He won't let you in..." Dark muttered, somewhat ashamedly. "I... I do apologise, Anti, it was my fault. He didn't take too kindly to my removal of his memories, even if he'll benefit greatly from the act..."

"Ah..." Anti sighed in understanding. "Right. Er... That's not gonna stop the wedding, is it?"

"I dearly hope not," Dark frowned. "But please- King seemed rather frightened when he spoke to me about your... troubles, what's going on over there?"

"Is that Dark?" Chase asked, eyes widening as he stood and approached the mirror. "Dude, you're  _huge_... you've gotta be due any day, how did we not  _notice_ this-?"

"She's grown a lot in the past few weeks," Anti interrupted, brushing over Dark's knuckles as he stood aside. With all of his brothers here, it seemed only right to let them in on the conversation. Dark would surely let him know if they weren't welcome, right?

"Indeed," Dark murmured, a little uneasiness in her tone as she looked over the other occupants of the room. She lingered on Jameson, and Anti supposed he could understand that- thankfully, the silent man didn't seem to notice. "I... I wasn't expecting guests when I called you, Anti..."

"Sorry," Anti sighed apologetically, turning to face his brothers. "I can ask 'em to leave, if you-"

"It's not that, Dear, don't worry..." Dark interceded, smiling slightly despite her obvious discomfort. "It's... my relationship with your family members has always been rather... strained. And I'm not used to appearing so vulnerable in front of others- I suppose I just fear that I'll not be taken seriously, while I look like this..."

"Dude, you're  _hot_  for a hundred-something-old chick," Chase grinned- and Anti guessed it was meant to be a compliment. It didn't stop his muscles from twitching, or the thought of impaling Chase with a sharpened knife from entering his mind... he really needed to reign in his jealousy, didn't he?

"Er... thank you, I guess," Dark muttered, shaking her head. "I'd expect nothing less from you, truly... but, we're losing the point. Anti, Darling, what's this I hear about shouting in the hallway? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Anti breathed, though he didn't exactly feel as fine as he should... but he was much better now than he had been, earlier. He wasn't itching to hurt himself, anymore...

"Really, it was just... pent up worry, and shit like that," Anti waved Dark's concerns off. "Y'know, 'cause of... what happened with Desiree and all..."

"I see..." Dark murmured, sighing softly as she tugged Anti closer to her. She smiled at him, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead, resting his head against hers. Their fingers remained entwined, and for a moment, they could almost forget they weren't alone.

Almost...

"So you're Dark, then?" Blaine asked curiously, standing from his seat as he regarded the demon, apparently interested. "I've heard a lot about you- I'm Blaine, by the way,"

Dark raised an eyebrow, glancing at the newcomer curiously. "Hm... I see you're entirely what I expected from Anti's recount. You seem somewhat... brighter, than your Iplier counterpart... it's nice to meet you, Blaine. I look forward to getting to know you,"

Blaine smiled, nodding as he returned to his seat. Something in Dark seemed to twitch- Anti could feel it, like a small spasm that rippled across the surface of her skin. Immediately, he grew concerned- and he met Dark's eyes with worry.

They were darkened, almost  _black_...

"Darky- Dark, are you okay?" Anti uttered frantically, the tightness in his chest seizing up again, and then-

Dark shook her head, blinking away her blackened eyes. She let out a weary, reluctant sigh... "Sorry, Dear, I... that was Tenebreux. As a demon of darkness he's...  _drawn_ , to the light. It is, after all, his primal task to snuff it out... I do apologise, Blaine- I hope you've no fear of my presence, after that..."

"Not at all- that was  _cool_ ," Blaine grinned. Chase ruffled his hair fondly, bringing him closer on Anti's bed. He really was just a big kid, wasn't he? Chase could only hope he'd stay that way a little longer, no matter how selfish it was to wish for...

Dark's lips twitched in mirth. "Quite... well, I... I'm glad that you're feeling better, Anti..."

Anti smiled appreciatively, giving Dark's hand a calming squeeze. "Thanks for checking in, Darky... how much sleep did you get? Are you feeling okay?"

"I feel happy, knowing that everything is as it should be here..." Dark trailed off, noticing how Anti's face had fallen at her words. "Er... it is as it should be, isn't it? Did you ever find out what that scream from-?"

"It's not alright," Anti interceded, giving a mournful sigh as he resigned himself to the fact that Dark was about to be broken again. "It's... it's really anything but. You remember how I told you about Schneep's fusion idea, right?"

Dark nodded, brows furrowed. "Yes- with Necromancer and President- Marvin and Yan's therapy, wasn't it? Oh, dear... what happened, Anti?"

"We still don't know yet," Anti muttered, shaking his head. "But whatever it was, it... it made Host feel shitty enough to force Author back. Poor guy's locked in a room down the hall, and Doc's in and out of tears... and Robbie's got something wrong with his back. He... he can't m-move..."

Dark tensed, eyes starting to water- she didn't particularly want to show this side of her in front of anyone, least of all Anti's brothers, but... but she couldn't help but feel for the egos she'd left behind. Author, and Doc... they'd never gotten the chance to say goodbye before Host had been created. And if Author was back- oh, what would that mean for  _Robbie_?

"Hey..." Anti soothed, wiping away Dark's tears somberly. "It's... pretty shitty, isn't it? But you don't have to feel like it's your fault-"

"I don't, trust me..." Dark interrupted, biting her lip. "And yet... I am still irrevocably moved. I know how it feels to be paralysed like... and to love someone who doesn't r-remember you..."

Dark sobbed as silently as she could manage, trying to hide her face from view- but the Septiceyes didn't seem at all bothered by her sudden show of emotion. A little startled, yes, but... well, perhaps they weren't as unaccepting as she'd feared they'd be.

Anti seemed to trust them... and that was something Dark would take in her stride, no matter her initial inhibitions. After all, she'd learned a valuable lesson from him- that not everybody wanted to bring her down, and make her suffer...

"Is there a way that I can... speak with him?" Dark asked Anti, knowing he was the one sustaining this house. "If you could... summon a mirror in his room, then I could-"

"I- I don't think that's..." Anti sighed uneasily. "I just... we've already been through so much today-  _you've_  been through so much, you should really get some rest... and Author isn't... oh, you know how he  _was_. He's still the man that forced Doc into corners and made him cry- I don't think I want you-"

"Anti, Darling, I've a duty to you all..." Dark murmured, attempting to soothe Anti with relaxed stroking motions along his arms. The touch seemed to be helping, if only a little- though Anti made no move to leave the embrace. "And Author won't likely respond to anyone but me..."

"I've already spoken to him," Anti denied, shaking his head. "He was perfectly sane, until... y'know, until we told him what happened. He... he doesn't think too kindly of Host, right now..."

"Is there a way to speak to Host?" Jackie asked, piping up from the bed. "Robbie really wants to see him, but nobody's lettin' him near Author. Not after what happened..."

"Anti- what  _did_  happen?" Dark asked, worry evident in her tone. "I feel as though I'm missing something here..."

"Well- I wasn't there," Anti admitted with a huff. "But when I found them, Robbie was lying on the ground, and Schneep was tryin' to help him... Doc was tryin' to calm Author down, but he was shouting so loudly... scared everyone half to death. I think... I think Host was the one that hurt Robbie in the first place,"

Dark let out a vehement sigh, running a hand through her hair. "We must speak to him- Anti, please, summon a mirror so that I can call him. This will only get worse, and if there is anything I can do..."

"I... okay," Anti relented reluctantly. "But promise me you'll be safe in there?"

Dark smiled warmly, cupping Anti's chin and giving him a lingering kiss on the lips. Anti felt his ears turn bright red, and he flushed, smiling when he pulled away. Chase's cat-calling in the background was doing absolutely nothing for his embarrassment, but Dark seemed to be beaming. She didn't look entirely well, but then... she was also mere days away from bringing a life into the world.

_And she'd been woken from a well-needed sleep so that Anti could be calmed down..._

"Doc's got the key," Anti sighed, looking at Jackie for help. "Hey- d'you think you can lift this mirror? Might be best if I don't need to make another one,"

"Why is that necessary?" Dark queried, brows furrowed. "If you could simply-?"

"Because I'm not lettin' you see Author without me," Anti replied, more serious than Dark had ever seen him. He had a glint of determination in his eyes- and Dark felt... well, she didn't feel undermined, which was a brilliant start. In fact, she almost felt... respected?

"I appreciate this, Anti..." Dark smiled warmly, eyes shining a soft, glowing red. "I'm glad you trust me with this, even if you'd prefer to sit in while I interrogate him..."

Anti's lips twitched. "Yeah, well- I learned ages ago that there's no use tellin' you 'no',"

Dark chuckled, entwining her fingers with Anti's once more. "Indeed... but we should get going. Every moment Author spends here is another without Host, and another he causes unwanted grief... Jackieboy, if you'd be so kind...?"

"Sure thing," Jackie agreed, effortlessly lifting the heavy mirror off the wall. Jameson's eyes widened in disbelief- and Jackie smirked in his direction, adjusting his grip so that he could hold the object more easily. Was he... showing off? 

"Hey, I'm a superhero... I can do some crazy shit,"

_Definitely showing off._

"Yeah, no kiddin'," Chase muttered in awe. Blaine was grinning like a kid in a candy store- clearly not having seen anything like this before.

_And... it's clearly working. Good for him?_

Anti wanted nothing but to remove himself entirely from Jameson's personal life, and he figured the best way to do that was to stop noticing how the mute was smiling proudly in Jackie's direction, his fingers neatly clasped, eyes bright and shining... and Jackie  _clearly_ liked the attention.

Did those two... have a thing?

"Anti, Dear, let them be..." Dark chuckled, looking only a little queasy at the sudden shift from the wall to the super's arms. Her hand maintained its grip on Anti's own all the while, and while she looked a little paler, Anti could excuse it as motion sickness. Dark never had liked air travel, and this mustn't have been an enjoyable ride.

"Wait- you can read minds, that's right... c'mon, am I wrong?" Anti asked, pouting slightly.

Dark raised an eyebrow at him, and Anti felt the smirk spreading across his cheeks.

"Oh, they  _do_ -"

"Hush, Dear, don't spoil it," Dark shushed, though she seemed thoroughly entertained at Anti's reaction.

"Spoil what?" Jackie asked, clearly oblivious.

"You'll find out in due time, trust me..." Dark deflected the question, still smiling beneath her cold facade. "Now- you say we need to retrieve Author's key...?"

"Yeah- we'll have to stop by Doc's office," Anti agreed. "Or... Chase- can you-?"

"Already on it," Chase nodded, rushing out of the room and down the hall.

Jameson stepped forward cautiously, tapping the mirror to get Dark's attention. He looked somber as he spelled out,  _'C-E-L-I-N-E-?'_

Dark's features softened, her eyes shifting from purple to red again. Somehow, Anti knew- Celine was the one in control now. And for once, she didn't seem cold and protective... she seemed... sad?

"It's me..." Dark spoke quietly. "I'll assume you heard about us from Anti..."

Anti sighed sadly. "Yeah, I just... figured it might be time. Now that Will's... not here,"

Jameson's lips turned downwards, but his expression didn't otherwise change. He stared into Dark's eyes almost challengingly- and Dark sighed, reaching her free hand out to clasp the mute's own.

"Would you like to see my memories, Jameson?" Dark asked kindly. Jameson nodded his affirmation.

Anti almost felt... underwhelmed. He'd been on the receiving end of this before- and with all the surreal lights and colours, the thoughts racing through his mind, impossibly his own... seeing Jameson barely even squint at the intrusion was... stranger than anything.

After a moment, Jameson detached their hands, shaking his head furiously.

Dark's expression sorrowed further, almost seeming  _guilty_. "I... I apologise, Jameson. That might have been too much... I just want you to know that he was a good man once. He really,  _truly_  loves you, no matter how he deludes himself into thinking his future is with me... I wish you the best of luck. And...  _please_ , hands off my boyfriend from now on,"

Anti snorted, the serious moment having been ruined- and Jameson almost smiled at that. Anti was glad that they'd been able to put that debacle behind them, no matter how long it had taken, or the hardships they'd endured along the way... it was a twist of fate that had brought them together. Now, their respective lives had untangled from each other- and for the first time in several days, Anti felt able to breathe...

_'If you insist,'_

"I've got Doc's key," Chase greeted, entering the room again. "Only gave it up when I said Dark was here- I think they're tryin' to bring Necro back, to see if he knows anything. Anyway- he thinks it should be just Dark and Anti, so we..."

"I'll dump the mirror and leave," Jackie offered, quickly catching Chase's drift. "He won't even have to meet me,"

"Yeah," Chase nodded. "Right- Blaine, JJ- you two come with me. We're gonna see if we can't help Necro out a little,"

"Sure thing," Blaine agreed, waving his goodbye to Dark and Anti. "Good luck with the baby, Dark!"

Dark's lips twitched once more, and she nodded her head. "I appreciate it, Blaine..."

Anti raised an eyebrow challengingly in Dark's direction, a sly smile playing on his lips. "Wow, do I need to watch out for him? He looked about ready to take you away from me..."

Dark scoffed, shaking her head perhaps too defensively. "Trust me, Anti, I'd never leave you for one of your own... I simply... admire his confidence,"

"Pregnancy makes you super horny," Chase butted in, but at Anti's glare, he quickly looked the other way.

Dark rolled her eyes. "While that is correct, I'd never seek out another lover while I'm devoted to you, Darling... Honestly, I've no clue why we've stuck to the topic. Let us leave- Author will want someone to talk to..."

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Are you ready, Robbie?" Marvin asked softly, hand entwined with the zombie's own, leaning over his frail body on the examination bed. They'd asked him if he was alright with fusing again- and so soon after the disaster that had shaken them, the doctors didn't think it wise. But Robbie had agreed- well, more like  _demanded_ , that they go through with this. He didn't feel so helpful, and Marvin supposed it was understandable enough, given his state of paralysis...

This was one of the only ways Robbie could impact the search for justice, at all.

The zombie couldn't nod, but he murmured his agreement lowly, his voice just a little strained for reasons Marvin couldn't imagine. Perhaps it was something to do with how the body handled shock- the poor thing could barely string a sentence together. Couldn't do anything but lie there and hope that soon, he'd be able to move once more...

Marvin sent him a look of sympathy. He was a little scared himself- he didn't know what would happen when they fused, especially because Robbie was injured. Would it affect Necromancer's ability to function? Would their fusion be unaffected?

There was only one way to find out...

"Okay... let's go," Marvin breathed.

In a flash of light, the two egos were gone.

Necro gasped when he appeared, eyes flying wide open as he clawed at the edge of the bed. His movements were shaky- his legs were still immobile, and his body had formed somewhere between the floor and the examination bed. Doc and Chase rushed to help, scooping up his form and sitting him on the bed before he could do any damage to himself. Everyone else sat back with bated breath, Yan practically trembling at the sight of his lover's fusion. Septiplier fiddled with his fingers by the corner, and Blaze's eyes seemed to narrow.

"Necro- do you remember vhat happened?" Henrik asked, stepping forward cautiously.

"I... m-my back... what...?" Necro whispered hoarsely.

"Ah... I suppose that answers that question," Doc muttered, shaking his head. "What parts of your body can you move?"

Necro's brows furrowed as Doc set him down on an examination bed- he was in the doctors' office again. He'd gotten here so suddenly that he hadn't had time to contemplate what had happened- and his  _back_... it ached like nothing else.

"I... my hands..." Necro started, flexing his limbs as best he could manage. "My... arms..."

"But not your legs," Henrik sighed.

"N-no..." Necro agreed solemnly. "What... happened?"

"We were about to ask you the same thing," Doc swallowed. "We... need to know what happened between you and President. If you'd like to discuss it in a more... private setting, it can be arranged..."

Necro frowned, cocking his head to one side. Yan... Yan was here, but then... where was Host?

"Where's...?"

"Ve need to know," Henrik interrupted before Necro could ask. Guilt seemed to flash across his face. "Ve... need to know if President said anything to you, about your... relationship. It vill be a great help,"

Necro looked warily at the others- his family, all staring at him, worry mixed with grief on their faces. Whatever had happened... it was bad. But he knew he couldn't keep asking questions. Not before he answered some of theirs...

"He... said we were... special," Necro murmured after a few moments. "He said... he would always... love me..."

Yan seemed to flinch slightly, but Doc quickly hid the Iplier from Necro's view. Despite his best efforts, Necro could still hear the small sob that emanated from the red-haired man's mouth.

"Vhat about ze night you two... became intimate?" Henrik asked softly.

"He told... me that... we were missing... an opportunity," Necro muttered, closing his eyes. "And I waited... for them to tell me, but... they never did. I assumed... it was okay..."

"M-Marvin and Robbie didn't know what h-happened..." Yan spoke up softly, shivering on the spot. "I...  _I_ didn't know wh-what happened..."

Necro frowned in horror, his heart sinking. If Yan and Host weren't in control, and Marvin and Robbie hadn't known... "Yan, I-"

"Do not vorry yourself, Necro," Henrik interceded, shaking his head. "Er ist nicht blaming you for zis... is zhere anything else you kann tell us?"

"No, no, it..." Necro started, wincing a little as he slumped uncomfortably. "That's... all. I'm... sorry..."

"There's no need to apologise," Doc reiterated. "But... you may unfuse, if you would like to,"

"What... happened to me?" Necro uttered, confusion still etched across his face, slightly hidden beneath the guilt of realising how serious this was. "Why can't I... move?"

"Robbie's paralysed from the neck down," Chase explained, shaking his head softly. "Host... he hurt him pretty bad. That's why we need to know what happened, so we can make sure nothing like it happens again..."

Necro's eyes widened. "Host...? But he..."

"It vould be best to unfuse now, Necro," Henrik muttered, shooting Septiplier a warning look. "Robbie und Marvin are more capable of handling ze news, in ze meantime..."

Necro was still for a moment, then he nodded. He let out a sigh, melting away into two beings, Robbie blinking back tears as Marvin winced and clutched at his back.

"Marvin- what's wrong?" Doc asked worriedly.

"Nothin', just..." Marvin wheezed, rolling to one side and getting slowly to his feet. Yan stepped forward to help him up, looking just as concerned as the others. "Just... hurts, that's all..."

"Fusing vith injuries ist unpredictable..." Henrik muttered, pacing slightly. "Vhen Anti und Jameson fused, Anti absorbed all of ze vounds... es ist a vonder you did not end up vith more zhan a stiff back,"

Marvin's face fell, and he met Robbie's eyes sadly. "I...  _shit_ , man, I'm sorry you have to deal with this crap..."

Robbie's lips twitched, but he still looked incredibly downtrodden. He closed his eyes, letting out a small huff of a sigh... Marvin only felt the tension in his gut grow stronger.

"Wait- when did JJ and Anti fuse?" Jackie asked aloud, entering the room and shooting the dapper man a curious look. He seemed... well, not alarmed, but perhaps... jealous?

_No, he couldn't be... probably just concerned..._

"I dunno, Jackie, probably around the time they ended up fucking," Marvin muttered under his breath, wincing at the splitting pain slowly subsiding in his back. Yan attempted to rub away the tension, distracting himself from his grief by massaging Marvin's shoulders. It seemed to be helping, just... not very much.

Jameson looked away, and Jackie scowled in Marvin's direction, while Chase simply let out an exasperated sigh. "Really, dude?"

"Now, zat ist not very nice," Henrik chided, shooting Marvin a look. "After all, ze same could be said of ze four of you in zis fusion mess..."

"He didn't m-mean it," Yan excused them, biting his lip as he gave up on Marvin's massage. "I... sorry, Marv, there's not much I can..."

"It's fine, baby," Marvin sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry... I'm just a bit  _frustrated_ , that's all,"

"It's completely natural to worry about things like this, alright?" Doc assured them, smiling as encouragingly as he could despite the fresh weight on his chest. "Don't... don't try to hide it away, this time. You need each other. Maybe... maybe you two can talk this one out,"

"... Thanks, Doc," Marvin muttered. It was the closest thing he could manage to an apology.

Doc noticed that Yan seemed to be shying away- that he didn't want to look Marvin in the eye, and that worried him. He knew that Yan knew something, but if it was something he didn't even want to share with his lover...

"Yan, may I... speak with you? Alone?"

Marvin's fingers closed protectively around Yan's but the red-haired man shook his head, flinching out of Marvin's hold. He fixed the green-haired magician with sorrowful eyes.

"I... s-sorry, Marv, but I need... I need to do this without y-you..."

Marvin didn't look like he wanted to let Yan go. His brows furrowed, and he pursed his lips- he almost asked Yan if he was sure. And then...

He sighed, releasing Yan's hand reluctantly. "Okay... I'll meet you out here, alright? I love you..."

Yan's lips twitched, and he leaned forward to tug Marvin into a reassuring hug. "I l-love you too..."

"Aww," Chase cooed, prompting Blaine to let out a snort. Jameson smiled at them, beckoning Marvin over as Doc led Yan slowly into his office. Henrik tsked as he watched them retreat, turning to face the somber magician.

"Vhy did you let ihn go so easily?"

Marvin shook his head, wincing once more as he attempted to crack his back. The pain, it seemed, still persisted... Henrik briefly wondered if he'd ever be rid of it again.

"I didn't let him go... He's not gone anywhere. He has his secrets, and that's fair. He wouldn't keep things from me unless he was scared of my reaction... right now, that's probably for the best,"

Chase would have clapped him on the back, but Marvin didn't seem in the space to appreciate the gesture. Instead, he shot the magician a thumbs up, grinning in his direction.

"Proud of you, bro,"

"I'll say," Jackie agreed, smiling in Marvin's direction.

"It seems zat ze two of you are indeed moving forward," Henrik nodded, seemingly sharing Chase's sentiment. From the examination bed, Robbie let out an affirmative chuckle.

"All you... needed was... perspective..." Robbie murmured, closing his eyes. Marvin turned, entwining his hands with Robbie's own again, a little laugh tumbling from his lips.

"Thank you, Robbie... I'd never be so patient if you hadn't helped me realise how demanding I was... I promise, I'll find a way to fix you up- I won't rest until I've got the solution,"

Henrik didn't want to burst his bubble. He simply smiled, appreciating the genuine words that Marvin had spoken. He really did want to help- who was Henrik to ruin the touching, brotherly moment?

 _Oh, Schatz... I hope you're alright in there..._  
  
"What happened, Yan?" Doc asked when he was sure they couldn't be overheard.

"I..." Yan started, looking rather queasy. "I wasn't l-lying about not remembering the s-sex, but I... I remember more than I t-told..."

"It's alright," Doc tried to soothe, glancing warily at the door. "I won't judge you, if that's what you're worried about..."

"It's not m-me..." Yan sniffed. "It... at least I don't... think so. Host and I, w-we... we were able to talk to each other, you know? And we could both hear the... the voices..."

"Voices?" Doc echoed, concern ringing through in his tone. "Like- Voices such as Anti's-?"

Yan shook his head before Doc could get carried away. "N-not like that, it was... a narration, of the events, of... of every story unfolding in the Void. I... I had no idea it was so  _chaotic_..."

"... There are many beings that reside here," Doc sighed, closing his eyes. "Host could... he could barely even cope with them, for the first few months... I'm surprised it didn't drive you completely mad..."

"He t-took the brunt of it," Yan explained thickly, his voice a little choked with his tears. "He was s-so  _brave_... but it was torture, and all I could h-hear was the screaming, and the  _pain_ , and the h-heartache..."

"... Heartache?" Doc muttered, eyebrows furrowing. "What... what do you mean, heartache? He wasn't struggling in his relationship with Robbie, was he?"

Yan shivered. "I don't know, he never t-told me why, but it  _hurt_... it felt like... like I'd never be loved again. Like I was... I was  _bad_  for Marv, like I'd n-never make him happy... but the feelings always f-felt like they weren't even mine, and I..."

Doc was silent for a moment. "I... are you... suggesting that Host could have had feelings for  _Marvin_ -?"

"What- no, no..." Yan interrupted, shaking his head. "No, it was... he was thinking about Robbie, it's just... I don't know what really h-happened, but I... I couldn't say this in f-front of..."

Yan's lower lip quivered as he looked to the ground, seeming to second-guess himself. Doc frowned as he reached out, drawing Yan in for a hug. The red-haired man wasn't much for affection from anyone but his Senpai, though he all but tackled Doc in return, holding onto him so tightly that the older man was almost afraid to let go...

"I f-felt..." Yan shivered, face pressed deeply into Doc's shoulder. "L-like... President would have b-been better for him... I w-wanted..."

Doc knew the words before they even fell from Yan's lips.

"I w-wanted to let h-him stay..."

"Yan..." Doc started, hardly expecting Yan to let out a sob as soon as he'd opened his mouth.

"I kn-know you said not to get attached, b-but he... he was s-so  _perfect_ , and he knew just wh-what to say, and he... and he was so much b-better at communicating than m-me, and I-"

"Yan, stop..." Doc urged softly, grabbing Yan's arm and holding him steady. Yan had been dangerously close to insanity mode- he could see it in the way his fingers were twitching, the way his pupils narrowed... Yan was distraught. But Doc couldn't let anything happen because of it, not this  _time_... he'd already lost Henrik twice.

 _Damned_ if he was going to let anyone take his lover away from him again...

"I... I don't understand why you couldn't speak to Marvin about this," Doc sighed, shaking his head. "I mean... he's the light of your life, Yan, he'd know what to-"

"No- no, you  _don't_ understand," Yan shuddered. "You d-don't, because if I told Marv that I felt s-so useless, it'd just v-validate him in thinking he's not good enough f-for me either, and I... I can't... I  _can't_  let that..."

"You need to breathe," Doc advised, sitting Yan down on the edge of his bed and glancing nervously at the door once more. They'd need to leave the room soon, or Marvin might burst in here and make the situation even worse...

"H-how can I  _breathe_ when I...?"

"You two don't need to be the perfect couple you've always dreamed of, Yan," Doc reassured, placing a hand on the younger ego's shoulder. "You're only human- there are some things that... that we wish we could do differently,  _feel_  differently... but we're still held back by silly little things. Pain, and hurt, and anxiety... Marvin loves you. And sometimes that needs to be enough..."

Yan stifled a sob, clamping a hand over his mouth and trying to stop his hyperventilating. His eyes were wide in terror still, his fingers shaking... Doc tried to rub gentle little circles on Yan's back, feeling the yandere tense at his touch.

_Not really the affectionate type, unless it's Marvin..._

This was closer to the Yan he knew.

"Do you remember the day you arrived, Yan?" Doc asked him softly.

"Y-yes," Yan answered, biting his lip. "I-I... I went around, a-asking everyone if they... if they were my Senpai..."

"And none of us were," Doc finished, smiling briefly. "And you didn't like that... you were young, and impatient, and you wanted to go out in the Void and hunt for the man of your dreams, remember?"

"W-why is this...?" Yan muttered, shivering as he drew his knees closer together.

"Because Dark cared enough about you to make you  _wait_ ," Doc answered, reluctantly ceasing his attempt at calming Yan with contact. Words were the only thing the red haired man could take from him, so words would have to suffice... "And it took almost a year, but you finally found the man you were looking for. You remember that?"

"H-how could I f-forget?" Yan shuddered, smiling despite his tears, eyes flashing in memory. "It's the m-most important memory I h-have..."

"Do you remember why you fell for him in the first place?" Doc continued.

"Of course..." Yan agreed, closing his eyes. His chest had stopped heaving, though his breaths were still ragged and short- and his eyes were still streaming steadily. But he seemed a little more at ease now, thinking about the less-problematic days of his relationship...

"He was so charming, and interesting, and nice to me... he was the only one who didn't get creeped out by my knives, and... and he seemed to like me f-for  _me_..."

Yan sighed hopelessly, fingers clenching again. "And t-then Anti fucked it all up... made him scared of blades, and depressed, and insecure..."

It came flooding back as if it was yesterday- 

_"Jack! Jack, I missed you so much, oh my god..." Yan exclaimed, hugging the Septiceye tightly around his waist, sweeping him off his feet... it had been barely six days since he'd died, but to Yan it had seemed an eternity. He'd felt nothing but burning rage when the other doctor, Schneeplestein, had returned yesterday- nothing but anger and resentment when he saw the happiness on Doc's cheeks..._

_How could Jack not have come back first?_

_"Yan..." Jack had breathed in relief, crushing Yan desperately and holding him close. "I... I tried to s-stop him, but..."_

_"I can't believe he did this," Yan growled, relief giving way to anger, fire burning behind his eyes at the injustice. "How_ dare _he hurt you-"_

_"Yan..." the magician interceded weakly, bright blue eyes shining with tears beneath his pretty paper mask. "D-Don't... don't think about that, now... I missed you too,"_

_"I missed you more," Yan challenged, brushing some of his lover's bright green hair aside. "I... I don't know what I'd be without you, Senpai. You're the only one that understands, and... and you're the only one I can think about. When he k-killed you, I..."_

_"Don't," Jack reiterated, bringing Yan closer, pressing a kiss to his worried lips. He'd used to be so forward, and excited, and happy... but this embrace was the first that had felt somber. The first of many to come..._

_But Yan hadn't dwelled long on it._

_"I l-love you, Jack... so much, it kills me..." Yan whispered after they'd parted, hands still entwined- damned if he was ever letting go of his Senpai again-_

_And the magician gave him a pained, sad smile. "Marvin..."_

_"What?" Yan questioned, blinking curiously._

_"I... I don't want to be Jack the Magnificent anymore," the masked man uttered, shaking his head as he squeezed Yan's hand in comfort. "I... I never know if it's me or Jackie people want when they call, and... and it's too similar to my original. When A-Anti killed me, he... he acted like it was s-so much more personal because of my n-name, and... and I don't want to be that man anymore. I... I want to be Marvin. Marvin the Magician..."_

_Yan smiled appreciatively, understanding now where his lover was coming from- he wanted to change his name? Yan would be with him, every step of the way- and sure, it might take some getting used to, but... "I... I like it. Marvin... rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?"_

_He breathed a sigh of relief, eyes still shining a little with tears of joy. "You... you really like it?"_

_"Of_ course  _I like it," Yan agreed, scooping up his boyfriend and pressing another kiss to his cheek, unable to keep from laughing away his previous grief. "You picked it! It suits you... Marvin,"_

_And Marvin had chuckled in return, holding Yan close. "Thank you... Thanks for believing in me, Yan..."_

"H-he was never the same..." Yan muttered in frustration, fingers twitching dangerously. "I-I... I wanted to be there for h-him, but I  _wasn't_ -"

"Yan, I know this might not be what you want to hear, but..." Doc sighed, shaking his head. "Marvin... he really,  _really_ didn't treat you right. And it might not have been his intention, but he... he's the one that brought you both down. Not you."

Yan couldn't seem to muster the strength to argue- in fact, he seemed rather accepting of the fact, which  _really_  made Doc question what had happened in President's mind. He'd made a serious gamble, taking shots at Marvin like that- but Yan... Yan seemed to  _agree_?

This wasn't in accordance with the regular yandere archetype  _at all_...

" _But_ ," Doc continued, gripping Yan's shoulder to get his attention. "Marvin's willing to change for you, now- the two of you already seem so much  _happier_ together. Now that you're listening to each other, and being more careful of each other's boundaries... you're on the path to recovery. Are... Are you nervous about that, Yan? If it's the idea of change that's giving you doubts, then-"

Yan shivered, shaking his head as he let out a strangled breath. "T-the last time Marvin changed, h-he... he lost himself. He w-was so caught up in h-hiding behind a mask, forging a new identity, that he... that he lost all his self-respect. He lost... everything. And I  _let_ him..."

Yan stifled another sob, blinking back harsh tears of regret. "I just  _l-let_  him... I'm not a g-good boyfriend, Doc, I'm a f-failure!"

"Well..." Doc sighed to himself, biting his lip. "I... I think that's an issue the two of you need to work out- there's not much I can really... do, about it. I'm sorry..."

"It's n-not your fault..." Yan replied somberly. "I... I understand n-now. I know t-that... that our problems can get better, I just... need to figure out how..."

Yan met Doc's eyes once more, teary, and brown, and full of passion...

"I  _will_  make this right again... and if that m-means... getting President, then... then I'll do it,"

Doc frowned in his direction, folding his arms. "Yan... bringing President back won't be good for your self-esteem,  _especially_  if he is the root of your-"

"This isn't about  _me_ ," Yan denied quickly, as if he was scared of deliberation, scared of losing the confidence to go through with his own idea. "I... I can handle it. He needs this, Doc, I...  _I_  need this. W-we want closure... w-why this even  _happened_ , we need to know..."

That... that, was something Doc could understand. Though he certainly wished it didn't have to be this way...

"Are you sure that you want to go through with this?" Doc asked a final time.

Yan nodded, though he looked absolutely terrified of the thought. "Y-yes... quickly- I w-want this all over and d-done with as soon as p-possible..."

Doc sighed softly, wishing more than ever that Yan would accept a simple hug. Even if it would do nothing for the yandere, it would be more than helpful in calming his own nerves... President had already proved to be an issue. On what grounds could he justify bringing his influence back?

_Yan wants to fix this... and whether we like it or not, President seems to be the solution to this issue. I just hope that he doesn't make this problem worse..._

"I... I'll come with you, and we'll see what we can do about convincing Author," Doc relented, anxiety already making itself at home in his heart. "But please, don't feel pressured-"

"I'm doing this," Yan promised, standing from his seat. "I'd do  _anything_  to make him happy... this is the only way,"

"Don't forget about yourself, Yan," Doc urged, but he ushered the man from his office all the same. He locked eyes with Henrik as he walked to the door- and thankfully, the other doctor seemed to understand his plan. Henrik met his eyes with a small, encouraging smile- 'Good luck, Schatz,' he mouthed.

"I'll be back soon, Love..." Doc nodded in return. This adventure... he only hoped it would fix the things Yan hoped for. That President could provide the answers they sought- perhaps, even return Host to his old self...?

No, Doc knew that would be far too simple- Host's trouble was likely nothing to do with President at all. Something welling deep inside, something he'd been fighting with for over four years now... Doc could only wish him luck in finding his way to the surface.

"Are you ready?" Doc asked as Yan approached Author's door.

"Ready," Yan agreed, swallowing his nerves down.

**~0o0o0o0o0~**

"Author? You up?" Anti called cautiously, opening the door to the room he'd summoned earlier. Dark was still here, still queasy as ever- was sustained mirror travel usually so troublesome? Or was Jackie just really bad at keeping things steady in those big, burly arms of his?

_Probably the latter... but at least he's trying._

"Anti?" Author asked, sitting up on the bed and glancing around on habit, despite his blindness. "I'm awake... I want answers,  _please_ , I-"

The mirror made a soft thud as Jackie set it down, and Author tensed- Anti winced a little.

"Okay, Jackie, time to go..."

"Jackie?" Author repeated, blinking his bloodied eyes. "I...  _recognise_  the name, and yet..."

"Please, friend, do not worry yourself further," Dark urged as Jackie inched the door closed, leaving the room as quietly as he could manage. Author shivered in place, turning to face the mirror- he met Dark's outstretched hand with his own. Anti watched with bated breath as the two shook hands, an awkwardly familiar silence filling the room. Then-

"Dark?" Author questioned, cocking his head to one side. "You seem... more feminine than I expected..."

Dark let out a small sigh, looking down at her rather large baby bump, extending her other hand to Anti. The glitch was curious- but he held on anyway, glad for the small amount of reassurance her touch had brought him... He hadn't realised just how nervous he'd been about Dark's first impression on this man. He felt a lot better, knowing that Author seemed to be fine again... and if there was some sort of problem, anything at all- Dark could always just leave through the mirror.

_She's not in danger..._

Anti felt a little more able to breathe...

"Yes, Author, I... I've changed quite a lot recently. You won't be able to see it, of course, but I... I'm carrying a child. A little girl, due almost any day now..."

Author blinked in recognition, his lips twitching faintly. "I... yes, Anti had told me... for some reason I had assumed you'd retain masculine features throughout the pregnancy. Sorry... congratulations, both of you. And... if you don't mind me asking, who was that-?"

"Jackie's one of my other brothers," Anti relented with a shrug, his muscles still a little tense. "He's a superhero- well, he thinks he is... hasn't done much saving here yet. Don't worry about him for now, just... Darky?"

Anti looked to his lover for reassurance, but Dark's eyes were focused intently on Author's. She seemed a little pained- though Anti couldn't possibly determine why... perhaps it was seeing him after so long that was troubling her. It had been enough of a shock for everyone else, surely...

"Author, I... I can show you my memories of the past four years, if you would like me to. Just to... er, answer some of your questions. Anti had mentioned that you were rather... distressed, at your lack of memory..."

Author's bloodied eyes widened- "Yes-  _please_ , Dark, I can handle them- I just want to know w-who I... who I  _became_. Host... please, show me what he... what he was like,"

Dark bit her lip, exchanging a somewhat nervous look with Anti. Her eyes were dim, and blue... "I must warn you, Author, even Host himself has not seen these moments, given his blindness... if he was to find out, it would be quite the invasion of his privacy. I only wish to show you the ones that make... that make everything a little more coherent. Forgive me for missing the finer details?"

"The Dark I know wouldn't even ask for forgiveness..." Author muttered, shaking his head. "Just... I want to know everything-  _please_ , Dark, it's driving me insane..."

"I can see that," Anti muttered under his breath, but he desisted at a warning nudge from Dark. Perhaps it wasn't wise to poke the sleeping bear, here...

"As you wish, Author," Dark muttered. "I will show you... my own understanding of Host's life. Brace yourself... you too, Darling,"

Then, he found himself engulfed by memories that weren't his own...

_"... Doctor, what happened?"_

_Dark was in a room with Doc and Host, staring in puzzlement at the blindfolded, curiously dressed man. "Is this...?"_

_"Author," Doc swallowed, looking close to tears. "D-Dark, I don't know what to do- his memories are in tatters, getting even worse, and I- I can't let h-him-"_

_"The Host senses that the doctor is distressed," Host murmured, looking a little downtrodden, hesitant to even hold Doc's hand_ _. "The Host would like to offer the doctor an embrace, but he is not sure if-"_

_Doc cut him off with a desperate hug, crushing Host's chest as he sobbed into his shoulder. And Host... he returned the embrace, gently kissing Doc's forehead, rubbing soothing circles down his spine._

_"There there, Edward... I've got you..."_

_Dark pursed his lips. "I see... I'm afraid I've never seen something like this before. How did this happen, Doctor? Why are his eyes...?"_

_Doc shook his head worriedly, reluctantly breaking apart from Host, though he looked like he wanted to hold the man forever. "I... h-he was like this when we woke up, and there was b-blood everywhere... he's like... like another man entirely, but I..."_

_Dark frowned. "I... I do apologise, Doctor. I know how it feels to have someone you dearly care for become lost to madness... but there seems to be nothing I can do. This illness... it's like nothing I've cured before,"_

_"I'm not here for a cure," Doc shivered, shaking his head again. "I- I'm here for... for advice? I j-just..."_

_"The Host grows more weary, and he asks the doctor if  they may take their leave..." Host murmured softly, seemingly back to his old... new, self? The sudden personality shift seemed to make Doc even sadder, and when Host's hands retracted from their place on Doc's shoulder, he let out a shivering sob._

_Anti had never seen him so broken..._

_Dark sighed. "Go, Doctor... see if he doesn't remember your favourite pastimes, hm? I'll be in touch within the hour... you don't need to do this alone"_

_Doc sent Dark a grateful, slightly terrified look, as he linked his arm gently with Host's own. "I... thank you..."_

It shifted.

_"Love, you really need to keep track of where you're going..."_

_"The Host apologises," Host sighed, letting Doc unbutton his coat and remove his sleeves, tending to the bruises quickly forming there. Anti didn't recognise this scene- it was only Dark, King, Doc and Host in the room, and it seemed that Host was only here because he'd wandered in, maybe in a trance..._

_He'd had a habit of doing that, for the first year or so... remembering pieces of who he once was, sneaking out of his office, trying to find Doc upstairs... this must have been one of the first times Host had hurt himself on that spiral staircase, unable to see a clear path..._

_"Host, he's right," King frowned. "You could break your neck on those stairs, you know? Why don't you come and find me if you need to go up there, you know I'm always-"_

_"The Host does not need assistance," Host huffed, lips twisting into an unforgiving, defensive snarl. "The Host does not like being treated like an elderly amnesiac... The Host is quite capable of making his own way up to see the doctor,"_

_"I know, sweetheart, I know..." Doc dismissed, running his hand over a particularly nasty patch of darkened skin on Host's forearm. Host winced at the touch, flinching slightly- and Doc let out a small sigh._

_"Please, sit still... it'll be over soon,"_

_"The Host does not like dealing with bruises," Host muttered, not realising the effect those words would have on the other occupants of the room. King looked away, and Doc's breaths grew shorter, more distressed... Dark reached out to place a reassuring hand on Doc's shoulder._

_Host seemed to falter. "I... I'm so sorry, E-Edward... I didn't think-"_

_"Now's not the time, Love..." Doc murmured, blinking away a few scattered tears. "I... I'm really not that bothered... I just want to help you feel better, alright? Does it hurt anywhere else?"_

_"The Host is adequately mended..." Host replied softly, reaching to grasp Doc's hand in his own, not minding his boyfriend's gasp of surprise. Host smirked a little at that, pulling Doc closer, holding him around the middle... Dark smiled briefly at the scene._

_"The Host would never seek to hurt the doctor willingly..." Host murmured. "The Host is sorry for causing his lover pain..."_

_Doc bit back the tears, leaning further and giving Host a quick kiss on the cheek, beckoning the blind man to his feet. "Come on, Host... let's go for a walk,"_

And again...

 _"I thought I saw a man brought to life,  
_ _He was warm, he came around, and he was dignified,  
_ _He showed me what it was to cry..."_

_Anti remembered this night vividly- he'd just moved out of the manor, and Dark was hosting a karaoke night for the egos to get the newer ones settled in. Google and Bim had just joined their ranks- and Silver would be arriving within the next few months... Doc had just taken the stage, and Anti had definitely noticed at the time that his song seemed to hit a little too close to home for comfort._

_"There's nothing where he used to lie,  
My conversation has run dry...  
_ _And that's what's going on,  
_ _Nothing's fine, I'm torn,"_

_Doc and Host had been... struggling, at that point. In a few short months, they'd end their relationship for good- Anti remembered Doc singing the last few lines of his song with tears in his eyes, looking anywhere but at his boyfriend- and somehow, seeing it through Dark's brooding eyes made the memory hurt twice as much._

_"You're a little late, I'm already torn..."_

_Anti felt Author flinch through Dark's grasp, but he didn't falter. The memory kept playing, and Doc almost left the room out of shame- but something happened. Something Anti hadn't really understood the weight of at the time, too caught up in thinking about his later duet with Dark to worry about another struggling couple..._

_Host had taken the stage._

_"The Host would like to sing a... song..." Host muttered, a little out of breath by the time he'd reached the microphone. Doc had turned harshly, almost afraid- certainly embarrassed, and in need of comfort. It would have hurt Anti's heart to watch, if he didn't know what would happen eventually..._

_"Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by,  
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified, but then I see the look in your eyes..."_

_Host's voice was... well, it was almost the same as every other Iplier's, save for the lingering rasp in his tone. His vocal cords were strained from narrating every day, but he retained Mark's ability to sing, even if he sounded a little raw and pained. It only added to the emotion behind his words, the strangled screams he hadn't been able to speak until now... Author had always loved to sing. And part of Host hadn't been in touch with that, until now..._

_"And I need you now, tonight,_  
And I need you more than ever,  
And if you only hold me tight,  
We'll be holding on forever..."

_Anti had been a different man in 2015. He hadn't fallen in love quite so deeply yet- hadn't experienced a falling out between lovers before. He hadn't understood the raw emotion in Host's voice, the appeal of singing in the first place, when his voice was broken already from speaking his every move..._

_But it had definitely meant something to Doc. And looking back at how Doc's eyes had changed from horrified to proud throughout the song, Anti understood it just a little bit more. It wasn't the singing that had brought them together. It was the emotions they'd held back for so long, coming together and reconciling, bringing them back together, even only for a few more months..._

_"Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart,  
Nothing I can say, a total eclipse of the heart..."_

_Doc hadn't waited for Host to finish the song before running up, pulling him into the fiercest, most demanding kiss Anti had ever seen before. From Dark's position in the room, their following words were barely audible over the cheers of the other Ipliers as they appreciated the embrace. Anti, however, had heard them loud and clear, still ringing in his head even after these long years..._

_"Don't ever let me doubt that I love you again."_

_"The Host promises he won't..."_

And again, this time to a much less happy scene, the memories shifted.

_"How are you faring, Doctor?" Dark asked gently, tapping Doc's arm as the younger man stared at his lap. His hands were in his hair, his coat was a mess... Anti didn't remember this day._

_"I... I don't know..." Doc whispered. "I... I wanted to love him, Dark, you know I did... this isn't f-fair. H-he could never be... but it was hardly his fault, and I f-feel so..."_

_Dark placed a reassuring hand on Doc's shoulder, trying to calm him down. "It's been a long time coming, you know it..."_

_"That doesn't make it hurt any less," Doc swallowed. "I... two and a half years, a-and nothing came from it? It's all s-so silly... have I just been m-misguided about this whole thing? What if I... I did love him, and I'm still so caught up on Au-"_

_"You never loved him." Dark muttered conclusively, as if he'd known all along. "He isn't the man he once was, and you hid that truth from yourself for so long. I... I do admire your ability to break things off now, instead of attempting to keep up your charade any longer..."_

_He never spoke the words aloud, but Anti got the idea he was speaking from personal experience with Wilford, here... This must have occurred just after the breakup. Anti hadn't been alerted to it for a small while, and clearly Dark was only in the know because Doc had wanted him to be. Doc seemed so broken... but by the time Anti had heard of the split, he'd calmed down a lot._

_Anti couldn't help but feel sorry for Doc, in that moment... After all, if he was in the same position with Dark, he'd have held on until he was forced away, just chasing a happiness they'd once known..._

It shifted once more.

 _These memories... they were different. They_ felt _different. There was hardly any speaking, hardly any conversation- and the only talking seemed to be a whirring kind of background noise. No, the focus of these memories wasn't Host and Doc's relationship- instead, it was Host and Robbie's._

_Anti saw them cluster together- Host, with his arm wrapped nervously around the zombie, reading softly to him on the sofa... and another scene, with Robbie giving Host a timid hug, the older man hesitating only a moment before returning the sweet embrace._

_A moment Anti had shared with Dark, sitting together in the dining room while Host, Doc, Robbie, Schneep, Chase, and Wilford were chatting amongst themselves. Host leaned gently in, whispering something that made Robbie wrinkle his nose and giggle, turning to press a kiss to his cheek._

_A scene Anti remembered witnessing, where Robbie had snuck up behind Host, wrapping him in a hug, kissing him softly to calm his worried heart... Times had been so much simpler, then._

Anti felt reality hit, wobbling a little as his body caught up to his mind. But the one that was the most out-of-sorts was clearly Author.

He... he was crying?

"I-I... who is he?" Author murmured, almost afraid to discover the truth. "The... the man with the purple hair..."

"His name is Robbie," Anti put forward when Dark made no move to sleep, detaching her hand from Author's as she sat back and listened. "He's... another of my brothers,"

Author seemed a little stunned. "Host... they're d-dating, aren't they?"

Anti bit his lip. "Well... I guess, that's the closest word to describe it. They've been together almost three months, officially- just like Darky and I... we figured you'd want to... know, about that,"

Author didn't know what to say. Host... from what he'd seen, he wasn't the man Author had envisioned. But he didn't know if the reality was any better than the dream-version he'd designed in his mind. The man had seemed so cold, so  _distant_... and Doc had left him. He hadn't been good enough, had he?

_He wasn't anything like me... Was he so upset over me, for so long...?_

"I... I need a moment..." Author murmured. He didn't know how to  _feel_ \- he knew Robbie, he  _knew_  him. And at the same time, they were complete strangers to each other... he hadn't expected to get lost so easily in those memories, he'd expected to come out with an understanding of how his relationship with Doc had fallen apart. He hadn't wanted to be caught up in someone else, someone his body wanted him to remember with all his heart...

Seeing the other man was like a slap to the face- inexplicably, with every moment Author had spent in Dark's memories, he'd felt even worse.  _Robbie_... it was a simple name. And their relationship had seemed simple, too- how could he have forgotten it so easily?

_It wasn't my fault I forgot about it... Host is probably losing his mind, wherever he is..._

Author hadn't missed the way his personality had seemed to bleed through Host when he was down. Even though he didn't remember it, there were moments in Dark's memories where he'd been present- him, and not Host.

_Could Host do the same with me, here?_

It was all so dizzying to think about...

There was a knock on the door.

"Dark? It's me, Doc, is it... alright if I come in?"

Author, for the first time since his return, wasn't so sure he wanted to see Doc right now.

But Anti nodded his agreement, and Dark tilted her head to call the doctor in. He knew who the man had with him. Perhaps, this was what they all needed...

Yan entered the room behind Doc, scared to meet Author's chilling red eyes. The door closed behind them, the sound echoing once, twice around the room. It was silent enough that the only sound was Yan's terrified, shuddering breaths...

"You don't have to do this, Yan," Doc reminded, seeing Yan's reluctance. If anything, instead of being calming, those words only served to push Yan further into his despair.

The red haired man bit his lip.

"No... I need to know the truth."

Yan reached forward, snatching Author's hand away from Dark's, ignoring his struggle as he bit furiously down on his lip... this  _had_  to work. He  _had_  to be better... He had to be willing to face his fears, if he ever wanted Marvin to do the same.

"H-Host, I need you to fuse with me..." Yan whispered.

Author barely had a chance to refuse before he was gone.

Anti's grip on Dark's hand tightened as President formed once more- a little rougher around the edges, a little more bloodied... certainly more frantic than before. But it was President all the same. That short skirt, the trench coat cut below the waist... but the bandages wrapped around his head were missing, and he held a heavy metal baseball bat in his hands.

And in his single brown eye, Anti saw only one thing.

Carnage.

President cocked his head to one side, flexing his fingers carefully. A cocky smirk spread across his lips, and he weighed out his bat, testing the surface with his fingers. His grin only widened.

"You shouldn't have brought The President back,"

Without warning, President swung his bat at Doc's head, a deafening crack echoing through the room as he fell to the floor. Blood began to pool around his nose and ears, but Anti didn't have time to react before he was knocked to his knees in turn. Pounding, throbbing pain in his temples- he could barely see. Dark's hand was still clasped in his own when his vision went black, his muscles falling limp...

President rounded on Dark, smile as wide and psychotic as ever, Doc and Anti's blood spattered down his side- it was all the demon could manage not to be sick. "Oh, don't worry. The President wouldn't harm a pregnant woman... but  _you_ need to stay out of my way,"

Dark's eyes widened, and she retracted her hand just barely in time to avoid serious injury. Shards of reflective, silvery glass grazed her and tore chunks of her flesh, drawing blood- President had shattered Anti's mirror. All she could see now was her reflection- terrified, and shocked...

_'Oh... fuck- this isn't good. We need to help them!'_

_ 'There's nothing we can do, Damien- by the time we get the message to them, it'll be far too late...' _

_'But what does he want? Who else is he going to hurt to get it?'_

_ 'Isn't it obvious? He wants Necromancer, and he'll kill anyone who stands in his way...' _

Dark grimaced, sitting back as the panic slowly burned its way through her body. "There... there has to be a way to stop him..."

Even as the words left her mouth, she knew they were futile. Celine's voice sighed heavily in her mind- and Damien's worry gnawed even further at her heart...

_ 'There's nothing we can do... nothing, but hope...' _


	42. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one got real dark real quick- possibly the darkest chapter yet. That being said, I hope you enjoy it- it'll start looking up again, next time.

**~?~**

"H-Host... it's getting s-stronger..." Yan whispered, holding his head in his hands. He was shaking, trembling- he didn't feel stable enough to stand... He was sitting on a dark, baseless ground, the very shadows playing tricks on his mind, casting doubt into his thoughts... they were taunting him, weren't they? They were just trying to make him feel low... that's what Host had told him.

That's what he'd been telling  _himself_...

"Please, just... hold on... just a little while longer, Yan..." Host murmured, his eyes leaking endless streams of crimson down his cheeks, puddling on his chest... Yan hadn't ever heard him speak like this before. Usually, Host's sentences were riddled with the kinds of adjectives and verbs that you'd never expect to come up in real conversation... listening to him often felt like reading the words from an old book.

But he wasn't cursed, in this plane of President's subconscious. He was just an ordinary man, a tortured soul... and Yan had only gotten a brief taste of that torture before he'd been knocked into delirium with no promise of return. He'd seen awful,  _terrible_  things... a man, hung up and flayed for his disobedience, a demon endlessly burning his remains over an eternal flame... two egos, a split personality fighting for dominance, for control over the mind of a hopelessly unstable woman in the Groundlands.

And even some familiar faces, tumbled in through the scattered chaos. Peevils and Wiish, engaging in an argument outside of Anti's house- he hadn't seen the outcome of that fight... and he saw Angus with Blaine, pitching a tent, exchanging stories of how they'd used to roam the Void together...

But it all came back to the hardships, in the end. Yan couldn't control it- he couldn't handle all these voices, the conflicting stories, begging to be written aloud... Host had started muttering before long.

Trying to ease up the pain.

And Yan had barely made it an hour before the hopelessness settled in...

"P-please, just..." Host tried to soothe, but the words all came out dull and passionless, years of speaking objectively having worn away his expression. "Remember him... tell his story, it...  _helps_..."

"Who?" Yan shuddered, holding himself close, just begging for this raging internal monologue to end.

"Marvin," Host replied with a shiver. The blood never stopped streaming from his eyes... "F-focus, on him... you can... ignore the rest,"

"I c-can't!" Yan sputtered, tears falling into his lap as he rocked on the spot, hardly even noticing how erratic his movements had become in his state of terror.

Host would have responded, but his own mind was breaking further... what was happening? Why was being fused with Yan suddenly making him feel so much more uneasy than usual, inside his own head?

He knew how to deal with this, didn't he? He'd been shutting these tuneless songs of discord out of his mind for over four years, now...

_I just need to think of Robbie- I just need to focus on him..._

Host listened out for a familiarly comforting drawl, sounding in the back of his mind. Robbie's tale... it was heavily entwined with Marvin's own, of course, but if Host peered just a little further into the future...  _yes_.

"Robbie seemed paler than usual as he took his lover's hand, smiling s-sadly up at the man, though his eyes could never look upon Robbie's face. Robbie seemed somber- hurt, and lost, and c-confused..."

Host hadn't wanted this- he'd wanted to look into the future to find reassurance, not worry about something going wrong along the way, and- why would Robbie feel this way? What was going to happen, to bring him down so low?

Host shook himself out of it, hoping that Yan hadn't tuned him out just yet.

"I-I... the future is b-bleak... but if you find him, it..."

"I can't f-focus on Marv when..." Yan sniffed, holding his head again, his forehead creased with tension. "It h-hurts, so  _bad_... I can't f-feel..."

"We have to keep going," Host repeated, closing his eyes as he mirrored Yan's motions, reaching to press at his temples in hopes that they'd soothe themselves with a touch... it had never worked that way before.

What use was there in thinking it would, now?

**~Void~**

"The President was left with no choice but to incapacitate the doctor and the glitch that had facilitated his arrival..." President muttered, smoothing out the ruffles on his skirt as he stepped over their broken, beaten bodies. A warm trickle of blood ran down his side, dripping, coating his outer thigh... it was unpleasant, but strangely, the sensation brought him a sick sense of confidence. Even without his sight, he could aim well enough for the kill...

But they weren't dead. They were simply unconscious, despite President's best efforts. He supposed it was better this way- that insufferable glitch would reform in moments if he killed him, and he'd never really wanted to harm that doctor...

He'd simply been standing in the way. President was still a good man, wasn't he? He was only doing what was  _right_. They were trying to keep him away from the man he loved, didn't they  _deserve_ to suffer?

"The President needed to remove the potential witnesses from the scene, so that he could take his lover back from them," President uttered, smoothing back his wild hair. His bandages... there was just no use in summoning them, now. Necro had sworn he was beautiful without them. Necro would be with him again- it was what they deserved, wasn't it? To be together, forever... Necro needed him. Yan and Host could  _never_ be what they needed. Too emotional, too  _weak_... There was just President, now.

Just. President.

And  _nobody_  would keep him from his Senpai,  _ever_   _again_...

**~?~**

"He thinks he's  _better_  than us," Host muttered scathingly, barely maintaining the energy to stand in the baseless void of President's mind. "He thinks he can love them better than we can... he's  _wrong_ -"

"I-is he?" Yan whispered faintly, having long stopped moving. He'd been lying there, hardly trembling, pale and sick and hopeless... Host knew he wasn't speaking from his heart. The darkness had fought its way inside, and Host knew it's influence well, even if Yan was too caught up in his emotions to realise he was being manipulated.

Yan, no matter how strong-willed and determined he was... he couldn't face this alone. Host couldn't let him suffer through it, as he had...

"Of course he is," Host replied, wincing at the feeling of blood mingling with sweat, running across the surface of his stomach... he'd tried so hard to stay out of his own head, ever since Robbie had returned. Being around him, and investing himself in the progression of their story... it had made it all so much easier to bear. Host could breathe again when Robbie was near- when he took the time to narrate their own tale, just ignoring the chaos unfolding in the rest of the Void...

He missed the little zombie more than his words could ever convey.

"He  _doubts_  that we're capable of love..." Host shuddered, anger replacing his worry as he clenched his fists, the nagging of the voices temporarily forgotten. "How can he  _seriously_ think we're so numb to the world around us that we'd  _lie_ to ourselves like that?!"

"I w-want to stop..." Yan uttered pitifully, clutching at his head still. "Host I-I need to s-split..."

Host frowned, folding his arms, feeling the worry in his gut only strengthen as the void around them remained intact. This... it didn't usually happen this way. Two people could only be in a fusion so long as they wanted it, right?

_Why are we still here?_

"You aren't thinking hard enough," Host growled, shaking his head. "Try again, and I... I'll join you. We need to separate, before the madness taints you like it tainted me..."

"I need to split, I  _need_  to split, I-I can't do this anymore, Host, I  _see_  things, they-"

" _Listen to me_ ," Host murmured, finding Yan's arm in the dark and gripping it tightly. Physical anchoring had always helped keep him in check, before he'd learned to tame the darkness to his will... and they might not have Marvin here, but Host had to at least  _try_ to connect with his little brother. Hopefully, their bond could be enough to overcome this dire situation...

Yan shivered at his touch, letting out a strangled whine of a sob. "It's c-cold..."

"Remember, Yan, you're in a mindscape-  _nothing_ here, no matter how frightening it is, can hurt you," Host murmured, repeating the same words he must have heard Doc say to him, all those years ago... It was all so surreal, standing here like this. Memories that weren't even his own had come up, rearing their head, and Host had forced himself to shove them back down... He couldn't afford to break, not  _now_. Not when Yan still needed him. Not when there was so much pressure, so much  _pain_...

He couldn't let himself crumble, when he was the thing holding this all  _together_.

_"Please, somebody, help me!"_

_"- lovely, aren't you? Oh, honey, I wish we could-"_

_"... sorry you had to find out this way that I'm a monster..."_

_"- skulkin' around here? Someone might think you're up to somethin', crocodile..."_

Host knew there was nothing more maddening than being forced to tell the stories of characters he'd never have the displeasure of meeting. Some would say it's a blessing, a gift- being able to see reality through his words, being able to know what was coming, if he interpreted them correctly... but he'd disagree with them.

Host didn't remember it, but there must have been a time he'd dissociated from the world so intensely, losing himself in his fiction, in his stories, that he'd angered some higher power... this, perhaps, was his punishment. The  _Author's_ punishment... Why else would every moment of his unending existence only bring him pain?

_Oh, Robbie... I can't wait until this is all over, and we can go back to how we used to be..._

Yan whimpered, biting his lip to keep from screaming- and Host knew that telltale sound well. It was bringing up all sorts of unwanted similarities to his past, being here with Yan... if he wasn't careful, he'd slip right into the state he'd fought so hard against relapsing to for over four years. He just couldn't take that risk.

_Why can't we split?_

_We need to split!_

President's slightly shaky voice echoed clearly around their mind, the denial clear in his tone.

"I don't need to split, I'm fine. Let's find something fun to do together,"

**~Void~**

The lights were dimmed as Marvin sighed, running a hand nervously through his hair. He was... well,  _worried_ didn't seem to cover it at all, really. Yan was keeping something from him- and though he stood by what he'd told Schneep earlier, he couldn't help the sinking feeling in his gut growing ever more nauseating...

Yan really was his everything. His light, his love... he was Marvin's anchor when he got too down about himself, he was the reason Marvin got up and out of their room most days- because Yan wasn't the type of person to stay in bed all day and let himself go... No, Yan might believe that he was just meant to be there to agree with everything Marvin ever wanted, but that simply wasn't true.

He was so much  _more_  than that.

Marvin wanted to help him with this...  _whatever_ it was. He wanted to, and it hurt like nothing else to know that it wasn't remotely possible... just like Yan couldn't help with Marvin's self-worth issues, or his anger management. Whatever he was facing, he'd need to overcome it alone. All Marvin could really do was offer his support, but then... when had he ever been a good support? It always felt like  _he_ was the one being supported, and being in a situation like this...

Damn. Marvin couldn't help but feel down, and cold, and  _numb_.

_Why do I feel the need to shove myself into other people's lives like this?_

Marvin shook the thought away, not letting it linger. Now was hardly the time to be caught up in a moral existential crisis...

His brothers had left them alone- not without lingering to share a few more words with Robbie, of course, but before long the room had been emptied completely of egos. Everyone seemed to have something else to do- people to meet, or papers to sort... even Chase had left them be, saying something about filling Bing in on what was happening, walking out with Blaine in tow.

Marvin hadn't thought he'd just... up and  _leave_ , like that. Chase had seemed adamant that Robbie shouldn't be left alone- and Schneep? This was his own damn office, where the heck had  _he_ run off to? Marvin found it hard to believe that he'd been writing anything but his vows recently, and  _surely_ he'd do that in the comfort of his own room. Even Jackie... his entire mood had seemed to shift when the others had made their excuses. He'd fixed Marvin with a curious, almost hesitant look- but it was only for a moment.

Then, he'd smiled, and excused himself. He'd said he needed to catch up with Silver, and Jameson agreed to go with him. Safety in numbers, or something like that.

It all seemed a little too rehearsed for Marvin's liking...

Robbie whined softly in his position on the bed, the lack of movement in his body practically killing him over time... Marvin hated this. He hated that he'd caused this mess- with his own stupid issues, and his broken relationship... he'd rather go back to how it had used to be, the anger and resentment, piling up in his chest as Yan tried day and night to fix him... He'd take that life back in a heartbeat if it meant he could help Robbie regain his lost hope.

But that wasn't his decision to make. Not  _really_... Not when going back would mean bringing hell for Yan.

"Robbie, I... I don't know what to do," Marvin whispered, sighing as he drew up a chair next to the exam bed. "I want to be there for Yan, y'know? I want to give him the best of me, but... I still don't know what the best of me really is. And everything, this whole... saga..."

Marvin let out a distressed huff. "It all comes down to me, doesn't it? If I hadn't been so  _insistent_  on making us change what we had..."

Robbie hummed lowly, closing his eyes as he let out the tiniest shiver. "It's not... always about... you," Robbie murmured comfortingly. "You... aren't bad..."

Marvin's lips twitched, but his mood didn't shift otherwise. He sighed, not quite relenting, but... well, shouldn't this have been enough? He wanted reassurance that he was doing the right thing here, didn't he?

Or did he want validation that he was really doing this wrong?

Marvin had never had the time nor the patience for psychology like this... Why couldn't life just be as simple as black and white? Why did every sentence, every action, every moment of his existence cause him to question himself?

"I'm sorry..." Marvin sighed heavily, gripping Robbie's hand with a grimace. "For letting you end up like this... are you feeling any better? Anything I can get you?"

Robbie seemed to chuckle, though the sound was barely more than a rasp caught in his throat. It seemed that laughing was something he couldn't quite manage, anymore... It sounded painful.

And if the way his nose twitched was any indication, it felt just as shitty as Marvin had imagined.

"Little... better," Robbie murmured regardless, trying not to let on how terrible he really felt. "Not... great, though..."

"Do you want me to try any more magic?" Marvin asked, regretting the words as soon as they'd left his lips. He didn't feel nearly as adequate as he'd hoped, and he still had no idea what really prompted his magic to work... it just kind of... happened? Like a happy little accident- but Marvin  _needed_ it to be a controlled force.

 _Maybe, it's not controlled, because I'm not a man of order... that_ sucks _._

Marvin almost wished he could change overnight, just like he had when he'd first returned from Anti's 2016 slaughter. The split-second decision to change his name, his identity, to forge a new way of life... he wished he could do that again. But  _better_.

Wishful thinking had never made his world turn, however... he was just so  _scared_ that if he lost himself again, he'd lose everyone else as well...

Marvin jolted as he felt another presence enter the room- and Robbie seemed to flinch, twitching his fingers out of nervous habit. Marvin turned cautiously- who was here? Was it Schneep, come to assist again? Was it Anti's friend Blaze, who'd left earlier on the pretense of trying to find his lover, when everyone knew how terribly that had gone the first time he'd tried it alone?

Marvin recognised them, whoever they were. That scent, the smell of blood-ridden cherry trees...

"Yan?" Marvin spoke softly.

"Marvin? Oh, there you are..."

Marvin felt a force collide with his chest and subconsciously wrapped his arms around the warm body of his boyfriend, noticing that something seemed just a little bit... off. He was wearing the same clothes as before- the white shirt and little blue skirt, his pretty red necktie... he must have been crying again, because his cheeks were wet. But Marvin could have sworn that Yan's shirt was a lot more creased, his cheeks a lot warmer, his hair just a little more... unkempt?

Perhaps, he'd just checked in a mirror before he'd passed through...

"Hey, hey...  _that_ excited to see me?" Marvin asked, smiling when Yan didn't want to break free of his hold. He ran a hand through those soft red locks of hair, only a little bothered by the fluid still leaking from Yan's eyes... he didn't sound distraught. No, when Yan had left the room, he'd been  _devastated_...

How could he still be crying, without conveying it in his tone?

Before Marvin could question him, he felt familiar lips upon his own- Yan practically tackled him against the wall, smirking into the kiss, not even seeming to mind that Robbie was here with them... The lights were dim, barely even functional... Would Robbie really be bothered?

_This is weird... Usually, it's the other way around, with us..._

"Sorry if I seem a little...  _exuberant_ ," Yan spoke, voice as silky as velvet, still without a trace of hurt or resentment anywhere in his tone. "When the doctor and I met with Author, we got a  _few_ answers. But not nearly enough. We need to talk to Necro again, sweetheart..."

_When in the ever-loving shite has Yan ever said 'exuberant'?_

Marvin hesitantly broke their rushed second kiss, tenderly raising his hand to Yan's cheek. It came away wet, wet with something warm and sticky... what on Earth was wrong with him? Surely he wasn't still crying so heavily... Marvin had to wonder if he'd made himself ill with worry, listening to Author's words... "You don't seem like yourself, Yan. Are you alright?"

Yan chuckled- and that...  _that_ wasn't right, was it? His tone was almost mocking, and Marvin could tell that he was smiling again. Yan hadn't smiled properly all day...

 _What... what_ happened  _in there?_

This just wasn't adding up.

"Of course I'm alright, Marvy..." Yan murmured, trailing his fingers through Marvin's hair, practically tugging him forward. "President answered all my questions... now, I know what really happened. I know who I really  _need_..."

Marvin found himself pressed up by the wall again, unnerved not only because of the strangeness of it all, but also by how much he appeared to be liking it... Yan had never played rough with him- Yan would  _never_  act this way. Not his lover. Not the sweet, charming, slightly homicidal man he knew...

_This is bad._

**~?~**

"The President picks up on the doubts that Yandereplier is having about the worth and wonder of his relationship- curiously, the fusion is unmoved, and instead entertains the possibility of... ngh, Yan, this isn't  _right_ \- stop doubting yourself! We can't unfuse because of you," Host realised, slumping in defeat. He groaned aloud when Yan could barely reply to him audibly, his jaw hardly moving, appearing to have fallen into a state of lethargy...

_So soon?_

This wasn't good, not at  _all_. Host didn't pretend he was a master of mindscapes- but losing consciousness inside the head of someone so deranged as their fusion was definitely not a good thing to do... he didn't know what would happen if he lost touch with Yan, now.

Would he fade? Would they be forced apart, would he  _ever_ awaken...?

Would he be lost to them, like Author was to Host? Nothing but a distant memory, the stain on everyone's hearts that stopped them from sharing their trust with others ever again?

"Wake up, Yan,  _wake up_..." Host muttered, shaking Yan's arm as he leaned over the body of his fallen brother. "I know this isn't easy, but you  _can't_  give in to it. This is temporary, you hear? We're a  _temporary_  solution- you need to keep your individuality so that you can make things right between you and Marvin! You  _need_ to stop trying to become one with President..."

Yan's lips twisted as he sobbed into his own shoulder, his head pounding, his lungs on fire... how did Host cope with any of this? How could Host continue wanting his freedom, when giving in would be so much better for everyone...?

He wasn't strong enough to fight it... he wasn't strong enough for that, so why would he be strong enough to handle Marvin? How could he be strong enough to fix what he'd tried to desperately to keep from breaking, all those months ago...?

_I can't even break out of my own fusion..._

"Don't let it get to you," Host commanded, panic rising when Yan slipped deeper into his trance-like state. "Fight it, Yan, you have to  _fight it_!"

Yan let out a shuddering breath, staring straight ahead at the blankness of the void... so many souls, so many stories... so little time.

How could he even try to fight something so massive?

It was all so hopeless...

"Yan... please, don't do this  _now_..."

"I'm s-sorry... it's too  _much_..."

**~Void~**

Marvin let the man keep him pinned there, trying desperately to think of a solution to this unnervingly bizarre scenario... this wasn't good. This wasn't  _right_ \- who was this, really? His scent and familiar touch aside, this man  _wasn't_ Yan... This man was much more cold and manipulative than Yan could ever even  _hope_ to be.

He tried not to wince too obviously at the chill of a metal bat, propped up next to his leg. Author had a bat, didn't he? Marvin couldn't recall anyone else who'd carry around such a weapon... but that meant...

_President?_

"Now, please... I  _need_ to talk to Necromancer."

_Not for any good reason, that's for sure..._

Marvin gulped almost inaudibly, flinching slightly away from President's taunting breath as his heart sped up unwittingly, terror taking over his motions, and... what could he  _do_? What could he say-? President was part Host, he knew what was happening around him, he probably already knew that Marvin was aware of his presence...

_If he knows, then... why isn't he doing anything about it? Why is he letting me have a choice, here?_

Marvin was scared, now. This... this wasn't  _good_. If it was really up to him to get them out of this situation, he couldn't see how it could be any  _worse_...

_He wrote everyone else out of the story... That's why they all left, isn't it? It's just us, now..._

_Just me, Robbie, and President..._

"I-I've got to get to Robbie, first..." Marvin replied, his nerves already close to betraying him. He could feel it in the way President's breaths hitched, how the grip on his waist tightened- and knowing that this wasn't Yan was even  _more_ infuriating, now. He wanted nothing more than to shove him away and call for help, but...

President hadn't been alone- and the fact that Doc and Anti had just  _let_  him come in here... something horrible had to have happened. Marvin could only hope with all his heart that they were still alive, wherever they were... President wouldn't have left them in a good shape to fight.

If President had even left them well enough to  _breathe_...

He walked over to Robbie, every step feeling more disoriented than the last, knowing that this couldn't end well... President was armed, and dangerous. He had Author's ability to change fate, he had Yan's thirst for blood. He wanted them to form Necromancer, but  _then_  what? Would Marvin and Robbie ever be separated again?

The very idea of it seemed too much to bear... Marvin might not have liked himself much, but he was his  _own_ person. He couldn't share this burden with anyone else- least of all Robbie...

_Would Necromancer even realise he was being held captive?_

And Robbie- oh, poor  _Robbie_... He'd known all along, Marvin could see it in his scared white eyes. He'd  _recognised_  those words- he'd  _known_  that wasn't Yan talking... he shot the magician a frightened, terrified look. He didn't want this, either.

_Where could I go?_

"Please, Marv,  _hurry_..." President encouraged him, still attempting to charade as Yan despite Marvin's discovery. It only made the words hurt more as they twisted in his chest, knocking his breath away...

 _What do I_ do _...?_

**~?~**

"We're not perfect, we're not perfect, we're  _not perfect, we're not perfect!"_  Host shouted, beating the ground with his bare fists as he gritted his teeth. He didn't like what was happening, he didn't like it at  _all_... it wasn't meant to end this way.

They weren't meant to get so attached to living like  _this_...

And President wasn't listening. He... he was shutting them out- could he really  _do_ that? Host hated it- he hated to think of what else President was capable of, like this... could he use his mind to rewrite the future, or was he also held back by Host's curse? Host could only hope that it wasn't the case- if President was allowed to run wild... Host might never get the chance to be with Robbie again.

The thought was heart-wrenching.

"It's... useless..." Yan murmured, voice rough and hoarse from not using it for so long. He just couldn't keep up with the narration- he'd tried, at first, but there was no point in continuing... he kept stumbling over his words, embarrassment bleeding through in his wavering tone, until he'd let the rambling consume him... His head felt heavy and full.

_Am I going to make it out of this?_

"Nothing is  _ever_  useless," Host denied, trying again to take control of President's actions, to force him to split apart... Nothing happened.

_Of course nothing happened..._

"This is ridiculous," Host muttered with disdain, his fingers twitching with mild rage. "This... our personalities are so much more  _persistent_ when combined. This mission was doomed to fail before it even began, wasn't it? Does the doctor not know me well enough to even  _consider_ that we'd be a dangerous pair...?"

"I d-don't want to h-hurt him..." Yan shivered suddenly, trembling as he shifted his limbs, trying to scramble to his feet. He was pale- white, and scared, and teary-eyed as ever... Host could hear the sheer distress in his tone.

"You haven't hurt anyone," Host promised, wondering just what Yan had witnessed. It must have been something to do with Marvin- it  _must have_. Yan simply didn't care for everyone else the same way he cared for his Senpai. "Marvin is lucky to have you-"

"M-Marvin wouldn't want  _this_!" Yan refused, folding his arms as he resigned himself to sitting alone on the darkened ground. He simply didn't have the will to stand... not after what he'd seen. Trying to narrate a portion of Marvin's future, trying to soothe himself... Yan had stumbled upon something he couldn't let stand. President, bearing down on Necromancer, limbs entwined and cheeks red with heat, hardly any clothes between them... but then, it shifted. And it wasn't Necro, but Marvin alone- eyes red, blood dripping down his cheek, meeting his gaze with a look of pitiful  _terror-_

Something inside Yan wanted to scream.

 _Nobody_ was allowed to touch Marvin like that.

_But Necro... he seemed to like it. He seemed to want it, he... and Marvin... oh, what if he prefers it this way?!_

Yan couldn't help but let out a choked sob, trying to shut himself up, not wanting to add to the already brewing cacophony in their conjoined mind. But how could he be silent? How could he sit by, so conflicted, when there was only one answer to this conundrum?

It didn't matter if Marvin wanted it. It didn't matter, because  _Yan_  didn't want it, and he was sure as anything that Host didn't want this either. It was President-  _President_  was the one manipulating this- did Robbie and Marvin even have a choice?

"What did you see?" Host asked him, sensing that this was important. If it could make Yan break so easily... it must have been something bad. Had somebody been fated to die? Was there anything they could do to stop it? It wasn't likely... usually, Host could only see clearly when the ending was already decided.  _Unchangeable_.

"N-no!" Yan shivered, shaking his head as he frantically kicked at the ground. "I c-cant let-"

"You need to  _tell me_  what happened!" Host interceded, reaching blindly for Yan's shoulder and finding his forearm. The touch seemed to help, if only a little- it soothed the rampant raging of Yan's heart... the red-haired man let out a distressed sniffle.

"P-President, he... he's going to sleep with Necro," Yan breathed shakily, trying to lose himself in the anchor of Host's skin on his own... "A-and I... and Marv, he... They... I don't w- _want_ -"

"This won't happen." Host muttered, shaking his head in denial. "I won't allow it- not like this. Not  _tonight_ , not...  _ever_. Robbie deserves so much better, he deserves the world, he... how dare he defile that, how dare he, how  _dare_  he-?!"

Yan didn't even have enough energy to be scared anymore. He couldn't hear what was happening in the Void anymore, not over the screaming of the untold stories in his ears... and Host's rambling continued on. The blind man gripped at his head, swearing under his breath, promising to himself that President would never get the chance to lay hands on the man he loved... Yan wished he could be that strong-willed.

_... Do I deserve to make it out of this?_

For the first time in a long while, Yan couldn't answer that question positively.

"I have to take back control," Host whispered to himself, drawing his arms in and folding them, resting them against his chest. "I have to take it back, I need to keep it, I need to  _keep_ it... You'll be safer with me, Robbie, I'm going to keep you  _safe_... I love you. I love you, I love you, I l-loved, I... he..."

Host grunted softly, the headache growing ever more persistent, losing himself in the influence of the voices... but it surely wasn't the voices that had caused this. It was a different kind of ache- one that seemed to be fighting him from within his very soul... Host hadn't experienced anything quite like it.

A figure, standing solemnly in the corner, bleeding red eyes to match his own- where was Yan?  _Where was Yan?!_

He wanted to  _scream_ , and then-

He was somewhere new. In a big, warm bed, a chillingly familiar body pressed up against his side. For a moment, Host was confused- but he was quickly able to make sense of it all with a little help from the subdued voices in his head. He... he'd unfused, and then...  _Robbie_... He let a smile of relief take over his tense and troubled expression, hearing that sweetly murmured tone he'd fallen so deeply for. He was  _back_... and he got to be with Robbie, one more time...

Yan let out a breath of strangled relief as he realised that his torment was temporarily over, but Host's attention was focused elsewhere.

"Host? Let me change... your bandage,"

**~Void~**

"I'm gonna get us out of here..." Marvin whispered, loudly as he could without alerting President. Robbie could only blink his eyes in response, but the action spoke volumes... Robbie was nervous, too. He knew just how dangerous President really was, being made up of the two most possessive, powerful, passionate egos to exist in their household. Even the likes of Dark couldn't match President in sheer awe-inspiring terror.

_I have to make it to the door..._

It was so much easier thought than done. Marvin's breaths were shaky as he licked his dry lips, wondering just what to say- what to  _do_... President was smart. It was going to be impossible to outwit him, and yet...

He was also part Yan. And if Marvin knew anything about Yan, it was that he'd  _never_  pass up an opportunity to remind Marvin how great he was, no matter what they'd been doing beforehand. It was one of his more annoying habits, but Marvin felt bad for faulting him... after all, he was only trying to cheer Marvin up when he did it.

Even if he ignored other, more important things in the process...

_Would President do the same for me?_

Marvin let out a loud, exaggerated hiss, banging his knee purposefully against the exam bed and frightening Robbie's eyes open. The zombie was smarter than most gave him credit for, however, and didn't try to question it. He groaned softly, trying to sound pained, though Marvin had been careful not to hurt him.

_That's it- we can do this, just a little bit longer..._

"S-sorry, Robbie, I'm such a klutz..." Marvin shivered, wondering if he sounded too fake and unbelievable. He'd always  _hated_ the tone he made when he was upset- now, he regretted not being able to imitate it more easily. There was certainly an art to it- an art that Marvin hadn't the will nor the patience to learn... He'd never thought he'd be using it to get away from his serial-killer boyfriend- or... well, a  _variant_ of him, anyway.

_That's not fair to Yan... Yan would never try to manipulate me like this..._

"Really, I... I'm a mess today, aren't I?" Marvin asked, repeating his sentiments from earlier, stalling for as long as he could. He didn't want to linger too long in case President got mad at them, because Marvin was hardly a fighter... he'd always had Yan to protect him, but that wasn't possible now.

Was Yan trapped in there, witnessing this? Was he genuinely crying,  _real_ tears that the likes of President couldn't hope to imitate...? Marvin hated to think of it.

_One thing at a time... first, I get Robbie out of here. Then I can think of how to get you back..._

"Y-Yan, could you..." Marvin started, deciding to try a different approach, disappointed to see that President wasn't quite as much like Yan as he'd thought. "C-could you... help me move him? I don't want to... to fall off the bed when we fuse, again,"

"Of  _course_ , sweetheart..."

Marvin tried not to get his hopes up when he felt President's skirt brush against his thigh, the fusion moving to hook his hands under Robbie's legs. Marvin followed suit, trying to get in the best position to carry Robbie out of here, sweat beading on his skin... He hoped that President wasn't suspicious of them.

Marvin didn't want to know what he'd do to them if he felt they were trying to get away... Somehow knowing that he wouldn't kill them was the least comforting part of this whole mess.

Anti might have been a monster, but at least Marvin hadn't suffered at his hand... President was a different kind of psycho. A kind that Marvin  _definitely_ didn't trust as far as he could throw him, given how sly and secretive he was being... lovers didn't lie to each other like this.

_Yan would never lie to me like this..._

"Just fuse,  _now_ ," President urged, appearing to lose his patience when Marvin hesitated a moment too long. "I'll catch you,"

"I-I..." Marvin murmured fearfully, biting his lip out of habit. "I just..."

_It's now or never, isn't it?_

Marvin let out a short huff of a breath as he picked his brother up, kicking President aside and making a mad dash for the exit. He heard the clattering of the metal bat on the ground, and President swore under his breath- but Marvin didn't linger to find out what would happen next. He felt terrible, he'd  _never_  wanted to hurt them... but President was dangerous now.

_Yan's going to thank me, later..._

" _Fuck_ , um..." Marvin wheezed, taking barely a moment to decide which option was better- whether he should chance hiding, or just run as far as his legs would take him... President was onto him, now. He'd always know where they were, he knew  _everything_... Marvin needed to run.

But Robbie was heavy- so heavy that he could hardly even move himself... Marvin cursed his lack of skill for giving Robbie a body full of cold, useless blood... He was a dead weight. But they  _had_ to keep going.

They  _had_  to survive this...

"Hold on," Marvin murmured to Robbie as he started down the stairs. Then without warning, he felt a sickening  _crack_ , the swing of a heavy piece of metal as it knocked his ankle mid-step. Marvin's eyes widened as he lost his balance and fell, tumbling down the stairs, the pain only shooting further up his leg- and Robbie let out a gut-wrenching shriek, his neck brace hardly sheltering him from injury as they fell in a heap at the bottom of the stairs... where was everyone else?

Marvin could hardly  _see_...

He could only hear President's chilling laugh as he took his time descending, the bat making ominous clattering noises against the steps. The smell of blood filled the air, but Marvin couldn't tell whose...

_"You should have listened to The President."_

**~?~**

"I'm glad that you enjoyed yourselves so thoroughly," Host murmured, unseeing eyes closed as he sat on the baseless ground of the void of President's mind. His brief time shared with Robbie had been wonderful while it had lasted. He'd been able to ignore (for the most part) the shenanigans unfolding in the bathroom several feet away, focusing instead on telling his love just how grateful he was to have this chance with him, though it had all ended much sooner than Host was prepared to accept...

Host hadn't spoken his fears of losing himself in President's mind, and yet... Robbie had almost seemed to  _understand_. He knew that Host was easily exhausted, with so many thoughts and scenarios constantly running through his mind. He hadn't fussed when the blind man had wanted to remain in bed and sleep just a little while longer... Host had been so caught up in trying to shelter Yan from the madness that he'd hardly had time to relax, last night.

And these thoughts, these  _memories_... voices he couldn't quite place. He must have been feeling Yan's worries- a possible side-effect of fusing together for so long, perhaps?

_But that vision... how could I have seen that figure? It must have been all inside my head... it couldn't be real._

Really, Host had so many other things on his mind. But he could feel Yan's happiness exuding from him, all the way over on this side of the mindscape... he was happy for his brother, he really was. It was the least he could do to acknowledge Yan's mood improvement,  _especially_  after what had happened last night...

"Ha... sorry, if you had to... um, narrate that," Yan uttered, apparently a little embarrassed at being called out for his actions like this. It wasn't as though he'd  _planned_  on Marvin wanting to be with him so soon after waking up, after all... "I don't... he just hasn't been this excited about having sex with me, for  _months_. I... I guess I kinda forgot just how great it could really-"

Host let out a heavy sigh, immediately regretting the decision to bring it up at all. "Speaking from a narrator's standpoint, I really,  _really_  don't need the details..."

"Right, sorry," Yan muttered, flustered. "But I... I think I can handle this, now. The voices, and the... y'know, crazy shit. It's not so overwhelming anymore..."

"Your mental state influences how well you respond to certain stimuli," Host shrugged, seeming calmer than before. "This is why I was so much worse, when I lived alone... being with Robbie, spending time with you all after so many months of solitude, it... it really did help,"

"I can imagine," Yan breathed in empathy, though Host couldn't see the understanding look Yan sent him. "But... I know it's still going to get to me, eventually. I know that this is only temporary, but... Host, I'm  _scared_. If President is the only one who can choose to let us out, then how can we really avoid going insane in here?"

Host sighed vehemently. "We  _can't_ , Yan... Trust me. I've fought it for years, and even still... I hear things that can't possibly be real. I remember moments, pieces of a person I ceased to be, all crowding my mind and  _forcing_  me into corners... I can only hope that Necro will be diligent enough to remind President of the task at hand. I trust Robbie to do that... do you trust Marvin?"

The way that Yan bit his lip and hesitated before answering should have been an indication to Host that there was clearly something wrong. But instead of calling Yan's insecurity out again, Host deemed the issue unworthy of being brought up again.

What was the use of having the same conversation, over and over? What use was telling Yan something he was already blatantly aware of?

"I'm just... I really want this to be over," Yan admitted with a reluctant sigh, holding his head in his hands. "Sharing him like this, even with you, it... I have these...  _thoughts_. Urges... I want to take him for myself, even though he's already  _mine_ , and it..."

"You were born in this Void as a yandere," Host explained, lips twitching in distaste as the blood started leaking through his bandages yet again. "You would obviously retain those yandere tendencies, through any transformation you could ever overcome... It is the same with myself, and my history as an author. Though I am a different man now, I still sometimes get the urge to channel creativity into words, on paper... the result, as you may expect, is quite messy,"

Yan snorted under his breath, appreciative of the comic relief- who knew that Host had a sense of humour underneath all those words? "I thought you used a typewriter... but at least you don't feel the need to h-hurt anyone... every time I see someone with Marv, even if I know they're not a threat I... I just  _lose_  myself. It's so hard to reign it all in, s-sometimes..."

Host was silent for a moment as he contemplated the weight of that statement. He knew that Yan wasn't as bad as he thought he was- but the darkness was clearly taking its toll on him again... Would a sign of empathy help, in this situation? Would it soothe Yan's mind to know that he wasn't alone in his state of confused, self-deprecating loneliness? 

_It was one of the hardest things to overcome, after I arrived..._

"Yan... I know what it is you are feeling. I... or rather, Author, he... tended to get violent when things did not go his way. He tended to be violent when... well, at the first sign of mental instability, really. He... was a lot like you, from what I've heard."

Yan blinked, trying to process the words that had left Host's mouth. He'd arrived after Host and Doc had split, several months afterwards... by that point, Host had retreated so far into his shell that Yan had almost never seen him. He'd never really  _known_  him, at all... 

But he couldn't see Host being anything but genuine and caring, perhaps a little  _firm_. The way he was around Robbie was so different from the image Host was painting, of himself as a villain- and Yan  _knew_  he was a villain. With the amount of people he'd hurt, claiming that it was for love... it was never for love. It was for the maintenance of his murderous image, and Yan could  _see_  that now... He'd never enjoyed killing them.

_I never enjoyed anything, until him..._

But Host, somehow putting himself on par with Yan's malicious ways? He simply couldn't see their resemblance...

"You...  _you_ , were violent?"

"The doctor would argue that our personalities are incomparable, but impossibly, I still  _feel_  those urges... the desire to scream at the irrationality of the world around me, the want for everything to be as I imagine it,  _perfectly_  playing out inside my mind... sometimes, I even want to inflict pain on those who irritate me, and undermine my abilities..."

Host sighed. "You and I really aren't all that different, it seems..."

"But... you and Robbie are really happy together," Yan frowned in puzzlement. "You... how can you say you're a bad person, when you bring him so much joy?"

Host exhaled softly. "Bad people are not defined by their personalities, but by their values, and their choices... unfortunately, we egos were never  _given_ a choice. I was designed to be pompous, nihilistic, easily angered... even as The Host, I am mysterious and secretive by nature. I try all that I can to escape myself, my  _ego_... but I remain the same. I may not have Author's memories, or his favourite pastimes in common with mine... but I do have his temper, and his instability. If Robbie was to find out about who I  _really_  am, he... he'd leave me. And so he  _should_..."

Yan seemed to deflate a little, but he remained persistent. Something in those words, it... it seemed to speak to him. He wasn't thinking of himself when the sentences crossed through his mind, but  _another_... "You... you're saying that if you shed your mask, you think Robbie won't want to be with you anymore? That everything, how careful you are, how much you  _feel_  for him... it all feels like a  _lie_ to you?"

"Not a lie," Host replied, shaking his head solemnly. "I'd  _never_ lie about my feelings for him, Yan, you  _know_ that... But I know I'm not worth the pain of being lost. That's why I had to leave the doctor, that's why... if I let myself break again, I want Robbie to stay far,  _far_ away from me. My ignorance to the situation, to his  _feelings_ , it... it would only hurt him, more..."

"I... I don't understand," Yan swallowed. He'd been thinking of Marvin, when he'd asked that question... trying to find the truth in between the warning signs, trying to  _understand_ why Marvin was so intent on hiding away... Yan didn't want to think it was anything to do with himself.

He  _hoped_  he'd never made Marvin feel like he needed to change.

But still... it was concerning just how similar Host and Marvin really seemed to be.

Host smiled sadly in response to Yan's puzzlement. "No," he murmured sympathetically. "I suppose you wouldn't... Youth is a wonderful thing, isn't it?"

Yan let out a defeated sigh. Clearly, Host was in a cryptic sort of mood, and none of his words were making the slightest amount of sense... not to Yan's worried mind.

"Youth is..." Host repeated, brows creasing together as he frowned suddenly, his face dropping. "I... I can't... I can't  _see_ , I...  _shit_. Yan,  _shelter yourself_ \- I fear I might not have much longer..."

Yan's eyes widened in confusion. "You- you  _what_? Don't you  _dare_  die on me, don't l-leave me like-"

"I'm not dying," Host grimaced, knowing that he hadn't the time for a proper explanation. He could feel it- the familiar ache returning, the pounding in his head... voices much too similar to his own. He was breaking, just like... just like Author had broken. The figure had arrived- his haunting blood-ridden eyes burned into Host's very soul... his  _own_  soul.

And Yan was in danger, now...

"I was foolish for thinking I could hold him off forever... this could be my end, and if it is, I... I need you to remember this conversation.  _Don't_  let Robbie try to keep me here, it... I  _can't_ break his heart. I should never have tried again, I should  _never have tried again_ -"

"What are you  _saying_?!" Yan demanded, trying to wrench Host's hands away from his elbows, where he'd clamped them as soon as his mood had shifted. The blind man had started rocking slightly on the spot, appearing so lost, so helpless... and then, Host's lips twisted into a grimace.

"I'm sorry,"

Yan was forced to hold his hands to his ears as Host's tormented, mad screaming finally began.

**~Void~**

Marvin let out half a whimper as he came to, his back still aching from lying on that cold, hard floor... There was ringing in his ears, and blood was steadily trickling from his nose, forming a small puddle slowly congealing by his cheek... His vision was fuzzy and dark.

_What...?_

And then he remembered.

He scrambled to an upright position, his head pounding further as he reached frantically for any sign of Robbie- they'd been so close when they'd fallen, and yet... where was he? Where  _was_  he?!

"R-Robbie..." Marvin murmured, blinking to try and improve his sight. All he could see were dark, blurry shapes... a figure, walking closer...?

The scent of blood and cherry blossoms filled Marvin's lungs, and he gagged instinctively, choking on air-  _President_... but then, where was Robbie?

"W-what did you  _do_  to him?" Marvin spat, coughing as some blood trickled from between his lips. He could feel that he'd taken a hard hit to the mouth- thankfully, he hadn't swallowed any teeth, and other than a slight ache he seemed to be fine...

_Other than the fact that I'm in danger, and Robbie is nowhere to be found..._

President let out a little laugh, the same mocking tone still ringing through it... Marvin feared he was going to be sick.

"I'd  _never_ hurt Necro," President spoke, resting his arm on his bat as he looked down at the magician, smile still spread across his face. "But the zombie needed a little...  _persuading_ ,"

"F-fucking- asshole, what did you  _do_?!" Marvin growled, choking on the fluid still bleeding from within. President took another step closer, and Marvin flinched backwards- it only served to widen that sickening grin...

_Yan could never be so horrible..._

"The President  _needs_  Necromancer... and you're going to bring him to me. It does not  _matter_ if you want it or not, because  _he_  would want it... And you're  _lying_ to yourself if you aren't tempted by the promise of a new beginning..."

"The f-fuck are you  _talking_  about?" Marvin stammered out.

_Why is he giving me a choice?_

Marvin knew that President could easily write the outcome of this tale out with his very words, forcing Marvin and Robbie to submit to his plan, and yet... President was still acting like Marvin had a choice in this matter. Trying to persuade him, trying to make it sound  _appealing_... and to a certain degree, it  _was_.

Being Necro, it had been... well,  _great_. He'd felt so much more secure with Robbie by his side, knowing that if he was about to mess up, there was someone there to guide him... And President had been so much better at communicating, and prompting a response, and being overall a little more...  _patient_? It seemed ironic to think of that, now.

Regardless, Marvin had his mind made up. He wasn't going to do this- he  _couldn't_. Their fusions were only ever meant to be a temporary solution, they were never meant to gain such sentience, such a will to  _endure_... and Marvin didn't want to forget himself anymore. He was scared of losing what little control over his life he already had, and...

Well, President might have been more tame, but Marvin was starting to realise that maybe Yan's wild nature wasn't so bad after all...

"Y-you'd really treat us this way?" Marvin challenged, not wanting to back down anymore.  _Robbie_... President had hurt him. It was written all over his smug expression, and that... that changed  _everything_. Safety didn't matter to Marvin anymore. He had nobody to protect but himself, nothing else to lose... he wanted nothing more than to have Yan in his arms again, and he'd do  _anything_  to wipe that psychotic smile away from the fusion holding him captive.

Even if it meant his end. Yan was worth  _every_ moment of pain President could hope to inflict, and Marvin would have to endure them all.

_I have to do this... no more hiding away. No more..._

"You're m-mad if you think... that N-Necro would ever take you back after this," Marvin shivered, biting his bottom lip. Was provoking the man who'd tossed him down the stairs really the best choice here? Marvin didn't care. He was too caught up in President's little game of cat and mouse, trying to turn his words against him.

Marvin wanted President to become so broken by his conscience that he  _cried_  after what he'd done...

President only bared his teeth, growling menacingly at Marvin as soon as the statement had left his lips. Marvin felt a little proud of how easily he'd managed to strike a nerve... "Necro understands that we're  _meant_  to be together," President seethed. "He  _loves_ me, and I love  _him_..."

"He's going to be  _scared_  of you!" Marvin spat in return, refusing to back down, even when President stepped closer. He scrambled backwards to avoid being stepped on, wincing at the pressure on his wrist... he must have sprained it in the fall. "When you l-love someone, you don't h-hurt them like this!"

President's smirk widened as he chuckled again. "Oh,  _Marvin_. The President doesn't love  _you_."

There was a moment of silence, so thin you could hear a pin drop... Marvin hadn't expected the words to hurt him as much as they did. It was only a small pain, just a pang in his heart, and yet... oh, he  _hated_  that he'd even entertained the idea that President held him in high regard. It shouldn't have mattered, but Marvin could only think about how Yan was  _part_ of this man, part of the emotion behind those words...

Marvin  _couldn't_ afford to lose the battle of wits this early.

"I don't care," Marvin muttered darkly, trying not to let President see how hurt he really was. "I'm  _glad_  you don't... but Necro won't  _ever_  want to be with- gah!"

Marvin cut himself off with a cry of pain as President stood harshly on his arm, twisting it as he forced Marvin back to the ground. The chill of cool metal was pressed against his palm, the weight of the baseball bat digging in and slowly crushing his joints... President leaned on the bat with his entire body weight, standing over Marvin's shivering figure. He cracked a frighteningly genuine smile.

"Cat got your tongue?" President teased, shoving the bat further into Marvin's hand, trying to spark a reaction. But Marvin, aside from a strangled whimper, said nothing.

President tittered under his breath, shaking his head. "No, no, we can't have  _that_... you know you're only doing this to yourself, Marvin,"

President lifted the bat, slamming it down again- this time, crushing two of Marvin's fingers underneath him. Marvin winced as he heard the bones snap and break- the pain shooting up his steadily numbing arm... this was getting  _serious_. Was this what he'd done to Robbie? There weren't many other places the poor zombie could feel, when he was so weak...

_How far was he going to go?_

"I'm  _not_  f-fusing with him," Marvin shuddered, looking away from his oddly-bent fingers, closing his eyes in pain. "You'll have to k-kill me..."

"I'm not here to play  _games_ , I  _need_ my lover back." President huffed in frustration, lifting his bat from Marvin's broken hand and holding it steady at his side. "You've no idea how  _painful_  life can really be, Marvin... you act as though you're so troubled, so  _ruined_  by the world around you... You're  _nothing_. Your only use is to entertain Yan, and you can't even do  _that_  properly..."

"Shut up!" Marvin growled, closing his eyes. His insecurities, his self-esteem... of course President would know to use them against him.  _Of course_... Yan had tried so very hard to remove them from Marvin's head.

But Yan wasn't here anymore. He had to  _remember_  that...  _This_ wasn't Yan. Yan would never say these things. Yan was so much  _more_ than President could ever hope to emulate- and that... that's what was keeping Marvin going. His love for a man that didn't deserve to be trapped like this, in a form that  _ruined_ him...

_I'll get you out of there, baby... I promise._

"No- let me finish, you ungrateful little  _shit_ ," President continued scathingly, sneering down at Marvin's frail body. "What are you fighting for? Yan doesn't  _love_  you, he's afraid to let go of you because he still believes that nobody can love him  _better_... he's  _pathetic_. Don't you see that I'm the only solution? Wouldn't you be so much  _happier_  living a lie? You seem content doing that now,  _Jack_..."

Marvin stiffened at the name, stifling a sob when President lifted the bat once more, preparing to crush another appendage. It came down on his index finger, splitting the bone and splintering it. Marvin could see it poking out of his skin, and he gagged, trying his best to bite down the bile, but it still spilled from between his lips as though he couldn't stop it... it was  _disgusting_.

"F-fuck you..." Marvin muttered pitifully.

President's cocky smirk only widened. "Ah, and that's  _another_  thing, isn't it? Oh Marvin... The President thought that you would like the night we spent together...  _Necro_ certainly enjoyed it. Lying there so pretty, letting The President have his way with him... he  _loved_ being at my mercy,"

Marvin almost gagged again, wincing when President rotated the bat, putting so much more  _pressure_ on the already splintered bones. He couldn't last much longer, not like  _this_ \- Marvin had never been as strong-willed as his brothers...

_You were never anything special, were you?_

"The President thinks that  _you_  like being at his mercy, too," President leered. "It gives you a sense of satisfaction, doesn't it? Don't you feel like you  _deserve_ the pain?"

Marvin grimaced, choking on the remaining bile still in his mouth as he tried to bite back. "You're s-so desperate that you're makin' a kink out of my self-worth, huh?"

" _I'm_  not the one that practically begged to be manhandled," President replied smugly, watching  with satisfaction as Marvin's face fell. "You were too scared of telling him how tired you were of the same old patterns, weren't you? Too ashamed to admit that you wanted to be  _roughed up_ , like Yan could  _never_ do for you-"

"You don't know  _anything_  about Yan and I," Marvin seethed, a sudden spark lighting up the room around them. For a split second, President flinched, his resolve giving way to surprise- but he'd recovered by the time the light had faded. Marvin felt his heart swell just a little further as he smirked knowingly, his veins  _alive_ with something untamed, and bright, and  _wonderful_.

His magic was  _here_  again.

President hummed in amusement, using his bat to caress Marvin's cheek, seeming nonplussed by this new development in the situation. The cold metal sent shivers rippling across Marvin's skin, and he glared up at his attacker, newfound hope still blazing in his eyes.

"Yan would  _never_  stoop to this," Marvin hissed. "He might think he's capable of torturing someone, but he  _isn't_. He's the kindest, most loving, caring man I know! And  _you_  aren't going to convince me otherwise,"

President lifted his foot from Marvin's numb and abused arm, gritting his teeth in anger. Before the magician could even  _think_ to scramble away from him, President bashed his weapon hard against the ground. The wooden floor splintered on impact, and Marvin flinched at the noise, and that brief distraction was all President needed to take back what little control Marvin had gained over the situation.

The fusion knelt over him, pinning him to the ground, straddling his hips as Marvin squirmed beneath him, unable to make an escape.

"Very well," President murmured, ignoring Marvin's struggled shouts of alarm. "It seems I have to  _remind_  you of how much greater your life could become, with me..."

"Get  _off_!" Marvin demanded, trying with all his might to shove President away. His fingers were splintered and his skin torn, and President had no qualms with gripping the broken hand,  _forcing_ it to the ground. One hand on Marvin's bleeding wrist, the other reaching for his bat, President sneered down at the man who  _refused_ to cooperate.

He'd have to learn, wouldn't he?

Necromancer would love him  _better_  than Marvin, better than  _Robbie_... President would have him. He  _would_  have him...

Marvin simply didn't know what he was missing.

President raised his arm, watching with grim determination as Marvin's eyes widened, fear seeming to grip his very being. The magician tried to plead for mercy- but this  _was_  his mercy.

President had given him the chance to surrender.

"N-no-  _no_ , stop, you don't h-have to-!"

"I can't let you get away from me," President muttered, almost seeming remorseful until Marvin felt the force of the baseball bat, descending on his left knee. He jolted in place, breathing heavily, his head numbing, vision swimming... He felt his bones break, but he didn't want to look. He didn't want to see, he didn't want to  _feel_... The world collapsed around him, President's gloating voice whispering sweetly, so  _innocently_ into his ear... Marvin felt the tingles of moist, warm breath subsiding against his neck.

"You'll learn to want what's best for you, eventually..."

**~?~**

"Too loud, it's too loud, H-Host,  _please_..." Yan sniffed, hands clamped tightly over his ears. Host was... well, Yan couldn't describe it any other way than  _insane_. Muttering to himself again, cutting off sentences, calling out for someone named Edward... and just when Yan thought it couldn't get any stranger, he'd stop.

Host would stop screaming, stop shouting... he'd run his hands through his hair and pace, worrying about something that words clearly couldn't convey. Yan was confused- but mostly distraught, and  _scared_... He'd never seen Host act like this.

_Was this what he'd meant by breaking?_

Host's agonised screaming had lasted for what felt like hours, now, and Yan couldn't hear what was happening in the Void- he couldn't see Marvin, or Necro, or  _anyone_... Host's chillingly anguished voice was far too loud for his thoughts to overcome...

Was this how it was going to be, forever? Struggling against President's grip on their selves, trying to break free of a fusion that was meant to save them from heartache, not cause even more of it? Yan hated to think of it- he hated it, he  _hated_  it... a world without Marvin was a world he didn't want to be part of.

And that wasn't just his inner yandere talking... No, a yandere would only be mad. Mad at President for keeping his Senpai away from him, but Marvin was so much  _more_  than his Senpai. He'd brought life, and happiness, and emotions to Yan's life- good and bad. He was forgiving, and charming, and passionate... he treated Yan like royalty, when he wasn't too caught up in his own mind.

_But isn't that what I'm doing, here? Being caught up in my own head, trying to get away from myself...?_

Was this what Marvin had endured, all those times he'd looked in the mirror? Had he seen someone so terrible that he'd learned to hate himself, all because of his warped perception of self-love?

Yan was beginning to understand that it wasn't so simple to tell yourself it would all be fine...

"H-Host?" Yan tried again, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Stay away from me," Host urged, though it didn't sound like Host at all. His voice was... rougher, more  _pained_. Less eloquent.

_What is happening?_

"You have no way of knowing- no way, of knowing who you're talking to. He's mad, he's  _mad_... I need to take control..."

"You're not making any  _sense_ -" Yan tried to say, but Host wasn't listening. He was flinching, shrinking away from something- the muttering only growing louder and more restless.

"You're not making any sense, the doctor said to The Host, who had woken in a cold sweat from a terrifying nightmare. He'd been trapped in a cold room with no escape, the voices swarming over him, begging him to write them- he needed it to stop, he needed it to  _stop_!"

Host grunted uncomfortably, fingers trembling as he scratched at the sides of his head, his bandages slowly growing unravelled. "He needed it to stop... I need to stop, I need to stop  _this_... I c-can't..."

Yan couldn't tell whether it was blood or tears that Host's face was covered with, but it all became so clear when Host let out a hastily drawn sob. He was shivering,  _trembling_ \- his coat soaked through with crimson, slumping heavily on the floor.

"I know you're s-still in there, Host," Yan stammered out, reaching tentatively to grasp at Host's shaking hands. This would work, wouldn't it? It would help, just as it had helped him, yesterday... maybe there was a way to survive this, after all.

Host tried to flinch away again, but Yan held on persistently, the blood on their hands making it so much more difficult to keep hold of him. Host let out a shivering, uncertain breath.

"Y-Yan... I'm scared,"

The silence was so thick that it echoed around, pulsing in Yan's ears as he pulled Host into a firm, unwavering hug. He wasn't usually so passionate about helping people- hell, he'd  _never_ cared to help anyone but Marvin before, but Host...  _this_ was different. They were both here, both  _suffering_ , in ways that shouldn't have even been possible for them to experience.

But it was true. Everything here... it was real, and it  _felt_  real. Their old selves, Yandereplier and The Host... they could never survive here. President was smart enough to turn his mind against them, making them relive their worst fears, their terrifying truths... The only solution was to evolve.

_Evolve..._

Maybe that's what Marvin had been trying to do, all those months ago... instead of choosing to wear a mask, Marvin had wanted to evolve.

_Maybe it's time that I evolve, too..._

"I-I've never... I know that this isn't a n-new experience, and I know that I've f-felt it all before, but I... I didn't remember, I don't  _want_  to remember... I don't w-want to be The Author. Not now... it's b-been... so many years, since I wanted that story as my own. And n-now that I've finally got s-someone to live for..."

Host's bandages couldn't contain his tears as they spilled onto Yan's shirt, warm, wet blood, soaking through his layers... Yan wasn't so bothered. It wasn't the first time he'd found himself drenched in someone else's blood, after all, and yet... this was the first time he felt regret for it.

Host wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for President, would he? And President wouldn't be here if Yan could have saved Marvin in the beginning... it all came back to him, didn't it?

_Didn't it?_

"I l-love him," Host sniffed, limbs still trembling around Yan's own. "So m-much it pains me... I n-never loved Doc. I never did, I never c-could... but now, my... my  _heart_... Author's heart. He's here, Yan, he's coming- he's taking over, and I can f-feel it  _breaking_... it's m-madness..."

Host let out another pitifully strangled breath. "It's  _madness_..."

"Then tell me how to stop it," Yan urged, blinking away tears of sympathy that he'd never thought he could feel. "Tell me h-how to help you,  _please_... it's hurting us, it's hurting  _them_... I c-can't let President take this away from me,"

"President will  _not_  be able to remove us," Host growled under his breath, frustration bleeding through his tone. "And I... I-I can't stop him alone, but... if I let this happen, if I let him  _in_..."

Yan frowned, eyes widening as he peeled away from Host's blood-soaked form. "No-  _no_ , you  _can't_  do that! He needs you-  _I_  need you! I can't d-do this alone, Host,  _please_ -"

"Author retains power that I do not," Host muttered, as if the very sentence was paining him to speak aloud. "Author... can rewrite the present. If I- If I remove myself before President gets the chance, I can help... I can  _s-save_..."

Host shivered, looking down at the ground in pitiful remorse. "Yan... please, let Robbie know that I loved him,"

" _Host_ -"

It was too late- Yan could feel Host's mood shift, his movements  _changing_ , his posture straightening as he trembled out a sigh. He was still shaking, still holding himself around his middle, rocking on the spot... but Yan knew something had changed. Something inside of him, it... it  _snapped_.

This wasn't Host. Not anymore...

"W-why did you-?"

"Help me," the man pleaded. "Help me, help me,  _help me, help me_!"

Frantic and confused, Author clutched at his head, the familiarity of the unknown man before him playing tricks on his mind. Where was he, where  _was_  he? Where...

_Where was Edward?_

**~Void~**

Robbie blinked warily as he heard the door open, unable to move from his position by the window where President had left him, only slightly conscious... he didn't know how much time had passed since then. His neck ached terribly, his arms jolted from the long fall, but Marvin had taken the brunt of it.  _Marvin_... President hadn't brought him in yet. His heart twisted with worry as he contemplated what could be happening out there...

Was Marvin alive? Had he been badly hurt? Had he even survived the fall? If so, then... why would President keep him separate? Didn't he want them to form Necro, so he could run off with the man he loved? Wasn't it in his best interests to keep Marvin and Robbie alive?

Robbie didn't understand it. President... he was  _dangerous_ , now. Any fool could see it. Not the kind of dangerous that the others associated with Host- not even the kind of dangerous that Yan typified. He was  _obsessed_ , and amoral, and ruthless. He didn't  _care_ who he had to write out of the picture- he wanted Necro, and if Marvin had put up a fight...

_Of course Marvin fought, what am I thinking? I'd have fought back too if I could move, but..._

Robbie winced in memory of what had happened when President had taken him here. The fusion had dropped him to the ground, immediately trying to force Robbie into agreeing to fusing with Marvin- but he  _couldn't_. Robbie didn't want  _any_  of this- this mess of fusions, and madness, sucking up the happiness of the people he loved... He'd refused.

He'd refuse again, if necessary. Again, and  _again_... he wouldn't give President the satisfaction of breaking him. Robbie needed to split them apart, somehow... to get Host  _out_ of there, and return Yan to Marvin... but he was too weak, too  _tired_...

"Stop your  _whining_ ," President seethed, sounding tense, riled up, his very heat engulfing the room... Robbie could hear a familiar cry of distress as another body was thrown at his, jolting him until he rolled over. The way his skin barely even tingled at the touch was still so alien to him...

The light was dim- far too dim to see properly, and yet... nobody else had such long, curly hair. Robbie almost let out a sigh of relief- but then, he noticed. Oh... oh,  _no_...

Marvin's knee was bent at an odd angle, his hand bloodied and torn apart, bones broken, sticking through his skin. His throat was slightly bruised, his forehead sporting a large bump, probably from falling down the steps... He was breathing heavily, trying to scramble away from their attacker, but with the amount of pain he was in... Robbie was surprised Marvin hadn't passed out already.

_President has to be keeping him awake on purpose... but why?_

"M-Marvin..." Robbie tried to say, but the harsh thud of a baseball bat near his head made him fall silent, fear gripping his heart. Tears brimmed in his eyes as he saw Marvin flinch, curling up on his side, seeming almost too scared to move...

_What did he do to you?_

"No time for chit chat," President warned, nudging Robbie over until he hit Marvin's chest, not caring enough anymore to treat him delicately. Marvin recoiled from the touch, not speaking a word, though Robbie couldn't tell if it was reluctance or incapability...

_Something's wrong._

"Bring him back," President commanded, glaring down at them with malice in his tone. "Bring him  _back_! Or I'll have to force him out of you-"

"No!" Robbie refused again, the tears in his eyes making it hard to see more than blurred out shapes. "No, n-no... S-stop..."

President snarled at him, gripping his weapon tightly. "You're hardly in a position to make demands,  _Robbie_... there's only one man I'd listen to, and I  _need_  him. You're going to give him to me- one way or another, no matter how many times I have to  _remind_  you how much  _easier_  it could all be for you, with him by my side..."

Marvin sobbed, shaking his head frantically, President's words making his stomach turn in dread. No, not Robbie- not  _Robbie_... he didn't deserve to be treated this way. He didn't deserve to face President's wrath alone, he didn't deserve  _any_  of this-

The memories were still so fresh- the way President had spoken to him,  _degrading_ him, taunting him with the idea that his lover would never return to him willingly. He was so familiar with his tone, his touches- so gentle and  _sweet_ \- but that sweetness was tainted by a disgustingly horrible truth.

It hadn't been Yan. It hadn't, and Marvin  _knew_  that... And he'd tried to fight it, with all his heart. He'd  _tried..._ he'd failed. Had he wanted this to happen, really? Had he been deluding himself, as President was suggesting? Marvin wasn't blind to his mind games, but it didn't change the fact that the doubt was taunting him,  _jeering_  at him, breaking him even further...

_You brought this on yourself, Marvin._

He wouldn't let Robbie face the same insecurities that had ruined his trust in his own desires...

President's smirk only brought Marvin more distress, and the familiarly sickening chill of the bat was now pressed against his leg, teasing him threateningly as it glided up his thigh... of what kind of teasing, Marvin wasn't sure. He knew he'd underestimated just how far President was willing to go, and... and Robbie didn't  _need_ that stress.

Robbie had to make it out of this. Marvin would do anything- he'd do  _anything..._

"Yes, you understand, don't you?" President uttered gloatingly, knowing exactly what that twisted smirk was doing to Marvin's resolve. "It seems that all you needed was a  _taste_ of what life could be like, if you just let yourself go..."

Marvin hated that tone- he hated it, he  _hated_  it. The smugness, the double meaning behind those words, the  _truth_ , and how President was dangling it over his head... teasing him, still. Threatening him,  _still_...

Robbie would never understand how fractured Marvin's identity, his very  _being_  had become, because of President's all-knowing words... And for once, Marvin felt like it was a good thing that Robbie was kept in the dark. Marvin couldn't let Robbie give up part of himself like he had, just to prevent the inevitable...

"I'm s-sorry," Marvin whispered as he leaned forward, wrapping his arms around his still brother. He wasn't sure who he was apologising to- was it Robbie, who had no choice in this matter, who Marvin was prepared to sacrifice to make this madness and suffering end? Was it Yan, who'd believed in him so strongly, hoping with all his heart that Marvin could fight his own way out of this?

Was he apologising to himself, for losing his confidence in everything he ever held dear? He barely had the time to let out a frightened sob before he was gone, taking Robbie with him... He didn't know when, or how, or  _if_  they'd return...

But as long as they remained this way,  _Robbie_ would be safe. That was all that mattered, now...

Necro's eyes widened as he registered the pain, the chilling  _pain_... he felt heavy, and weary, and dull. His hand was bruised and broken, his lower half still paralysed- and something agonising was pushing down on his heart... he could hardly  _breathe_.

What had  _happened_  to him?

"P-Presi..." Necro stuttered, trying to find his lover in the dark, sensing his presence despite their shrouded surroundings. "President, where...?"

President let out a sigh of relief, dropping his bat and sinking to his knees as he scooped up his partner, wasting no time in breathing in his familiar scent, engulfing the half-dead fusion with his warmth and affection...  _Finally_. Necro was really here again, and President could be  _happy_... he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with the only man who'd ever understand him.

"The President  _missed you_ ," President whispered, burying his face in Necro's neck and holding him tightly, not wanting to let go. "The President told The Necromancer that he would  _always_  love him... I'll never let go of you again,  _never_..."

Necro didn't understand- he  _couldn't_  understand... Everything was a blinding mass of words and colours, flashing through his mind- he was panicked, his body rushing with adrenaline, his legs cramped uncomfortably against President's as they embraced on the hard, wet floor of Anti's study...

_What... how...?_

His memories were scattered at best, fractured and spread apart- but which scene fit which conversation, which emotion suited which act? He could sense resentment, and hopelessness, and  _anger_ \- but he could only feel love and warmth cascading through him, blossoming from a part of him that Necro couldn't quite place...

It all felt so artificial, like he was acting out a role in someone else's dream... the dull throbbing of his head, the screaming echoing in his ears, the pleas to stop, stop,  _stop..._

_Yan wouldn't want this._

"P-Presi..." Necro uttered, unsure of what to say. The lump in his throat was thick and heavy, and he couldn't seem to swallow it down- and the worry, the hurt, the emotional anguish he seemed to be feeling...? How had it gotten there? How could he feel so passionately for President, when every fiber of his being wanted to run away?

_But I love him..._

Necro shuddered at the words, so unfamiliar, so  _unprompted_  in his mind... it wasn't relevant. It wasn't relevant  _at all_ , it... President was doing this, wasn't he? President... if he was taking control, changing Necro's thoughts,  _how_ could he say he loved him? This was wrong, this was  _wrong_! Why was he doing this? Why would he  _ever_...?

_You never really loved me at all, did you?_

"What... are you trying... so hard to... make me  _forget_?" Necro growled, eyes narrowing as he tried to push President away from him. His bones were aching, his wrist sprained, his heart beating erratically out of his chest... so much damage, so little room for error... Necro felt the dread in his chest only sink further when President's soothing motions ceased. The very air felt dangerous, now, and Necro couldn't trust  _anything_.

Could he even trust himself?

"Sweetheart, I'd  _never_  hurt you..." President murmured, stroking a few strands of wild, bloodied hair from Necro's eyes.  _Bloodied..._  Necro hadn't noticed before, but he was drenched in it- his broken hand was a crimson-covered mess, his nose and mouth were tainted with the scent and the taste of it, and he could feel suspiciously sticky handprints drying to his skin, congealing all over...

Necro's eyes flashed a hauntingly dark green. Rage fought down his misery and despair as he shoved harder, forcing President away from him as a wispy smoke began to fill the room around them. He didn't care to focus on it, not  _now_... Betrayal choked up his voice and forced tears to his eyes as he trembled in place, unable to move away, unable to even  _sit_...

_He hurt me, he hurt me- he promised he'd never, he promised he'd be there, and care for me, and protect me- forever, forever, forever-!_

President hadn't been forced back very far by Necro's weak shove- but it had taken him by surprise all the same. Why would he do that? Didn't he understand that all President had done, all he'd changed, it was for  _Necro's_  sake? For the sake of their unending, unwavering love?

_Perhaps he's just in shock, from losing so much blood..._

"I promise you, Necro, everything is going to be  _better_  now-"

"No!" Necro denied, tears streaming unwittingly from his eyes, using his elbows to move slowly across the floor. He wouldn't let himself believe it was futile- he  _wouldn't_... his feelings were being written over, erased,  _replaced_  with sweetness and desire and the promise of a happy ending, and for a moment, Necro almost gave in.

 _He's only doing what's best for me, for_ us. _He wants to love me, better than they can... he wants to give me the world. He's done nothing wrong, he's done nothing to me..._

Necro bit back a shudder when President reached for him again, caressing his cheek ever so softly, smiling so widely in the face of his carnage that he couldn't  _possibly_ be sane. 

"There, there... The President knows that The Necromancer is in shock. He isn't thinking clearly, of  _course_  he feels the same way... would The Necromancer not do anything to protect our relationship?"

"I-I..." Necro swallowed, closing his eyes in denial as President's gentle touch ran down his cheek, over his chest... he could feel President pick him up and set him down in his lap, carefully lifting him from the harsh wooden floor, almost as if he  _cared_...

_Of course he cares. He loves me. He'd stop at nothing to have me in his arms again..._

Somehow, Necro remembered a much less warm touch, the sharp ache of bruises forming on his weak, pink skin- bones snapped and useless to him as he tried to escape the overwhelming smell of blood in the air. Messy handprints, sticky and awful, slipping under his shirt and roaming like the loving embrace of someone he'd used to know... why, then, did it feel so forced?

_Yan wouldn't want this..._

"G-get off!" Necro shouted hoarsely, the pleading tone of his voice going completely unnoticed by President, though its intensity rattled the windows. "I...  _don't_ love you! I-I..."

If President was hurt, he did a brilliant job of hiding it- he remained neutral as he pouted slightly, lifting Necro's chin and staring challengingly into those steadily glowing, milky blue eyes.

"Oh, but  _sweetheart_... you don't know what you're saying. How could The Necromancer even suggest it, when he remembers how adored and  _cherished_  The President makes him feel? The President is the only person who listens- he is the only one who can  _save you_ , and stop the pain..."

Necro bit his lip as he felt President lift his broken hand, so gently, so tenderly... he was careful not to cause any feelings of pain, or hurt, or distrust. Necro's eyes scrunched closed in anticipation, but President only began to mutter under his breath, the soft chanting bringing a sense of calm over Necro's raging heart...

"There," President beamed, clasping Necro's hand in his own- and Necro almost cried out on instinct, but... somehow,  _somehow_ , the pain was all gone. He flexed his fingers uncertainly, opening his eyes, and...

_How could I have mistrusted him? He only wants what's good for me- he didn't need to fix this for me, but he did, because he loves me so much..._

"Y-you..." Necro uttered in disbelief, looking over his freshly healed hand. It was still bloodied and tender, but his fractured fingers, his  _sprain_...

President smiled, so genuinely that Necro nearly forgot he was the reason he was sporting these broken bones... All that seemed to matter in that moment was that the damage had been undone. It didn't matter how tragic, how messy, how  _violent_  President could become, because he could fix it all so  _easily_...

_He can fix it all so easily..._

But no-  _no_. He couldn't forgive him, he  _couldn't_  forgive him- not Marvin, nor Robbie. Not even Necro himself- he was lying, he was  _still_  lying... and Necro had wanted so desperately to believe he was better than  _this_... How could he expect Marvin, someone who'd held resentment towards Anti for so many months after being hurt, to  _ignore_  all of this pain? How could he expect Robbie to be complacent, knowing just what had happened  in order to bring Necro back?

"We're  _perfect_  together, Necromancer..." President murmured sweetly, entwining their fingers as if nothing was wrong, not even seeming aware that Necro was rejecting his emotional tampering, now. "I love you, more than  _anything_... I'd die before giving you up. You and I... we're better than they are, don't you see?"

Necro felt like crying- felt like screaming, like  _shouting_  until the entire Void around him heard his call. But nobody would come- nobody would hear him. President wouldn't let that happen, and he was so  _weak_... his hand might have healed, but his heart was in pieces, split in the middle and then some. He wasn't the only one that was broken, no- this mess, this series of unfortunate events... it had destroyed them, too.

_He'd die before giving me up..._

Necro's eyes narrowed, his lips twisting into a sneer.

_Then let him._

"Get... off," Necro warned, his skin tingling with a kind of magic he'd never felt before. It was powerful, and  _strong_ , and deadly... it felt like poison, running through his veins. Like smoke that would fill his lungs and  _choke_  him, like an aftertaste so disgustingly addictive that it could destroy his very soul...

President regarded the sudden display of power with an air of nervousness- he still seemed confident, still so sure of himself, and yet... Necro felt proud that he'd sparked a glimmer of fear in those blood-ridden eyes. Was he supposed to feel so satisfied, watching the room turn misty green, the shadows darkening? Was he supposed to take pleasure in the way President clung to him- not out of any weak hope to take him back, but out of pure, unbridled  _fear_?

"Necro, sweetheart..." President murmured, cupping his lover's cheek again, the slightest hint of confusion in his tone. "You love me too, don't you?"

_I love you too, I love you too, I love you too..._

He was trying-  _oh_ , he was  _trying_... but Necro wouldn't give him the satisfaction of acknowledging it.

With a shout of unabashed rage, Necro shoved President onto the ground, both hands firmly planted on his chest. He couldn't move his legs at all, couldn't scramble away from the man if he tried- and he'd fall backwards if he lost what little balance he still had. He clawed at President's coat, his necktie, tugging at it to keep himself upright- but he wasn't strong enough to overpower the larger man like this.

President took advantage of Necro's weakness, flipping their positions again so that he was leaning on top, hands flying quickly to Necro's wrists once more, a movement that seemed so  _achingly_  familiar... He breathed out heavily as Necro struggled beneath him.

"I...  _hate_  you," Necro sobbed aloud, turning his face when President tried to lean forward- whether he wanted to whisper into his ear, or kiss him, or taunt him further... Necro didn't care. He didn't want to see the other man ever again- ever  _again..._

President's breathing went funny for a moment, and he blinked back blood-ridden tears of hurt, and surprise...

"Sweetheart-"

"No- no... I  _hate_ you...  _I hate you_!" Necro shouted, using President's state of shock to wrestle his hands free, trying again to push his attacker away- but to no avail. President was still far too heavy to move, and Necro... he was losing himself. He was consciously aware, now, of the raw power buzzing through his hands. The sinking feeling of dread in his stomach, pre-determined guilt being pushed aside in favour of nurturing his vengeance.

"You don't  _mean_ that," President denied, having shaken most of his nerves away. He couldn't let this happen, he  _couldn't_... Necro was the only man he'd ever loved so deeply.

_I'll show you how much I mean it-_

Necro didn't know how he'd done it. How he'd summoned them, or how he'd commanded them, or if he'd even  _known_ he could do this in the first place. A set of four hands, stripped to the bone, vibrating so intensely with anger and hatred that they tore shreds into President's skin when they touched him- they'd appeared so suddenly, but... where had they come from?

Gripping his shoulders, scratching at his wrists- President fell back with a shout of alarm, pain spreading through his arms as he tried feebly to reach for his bat.

Necro was so caught up in the feeling- the satisfaction of watching him squirm, of ignoring his pleas for mercy, of watching as chunks of skin and flesh flaked away before his very eyes... he was maddened with power. Hungry for  _vengeance_ \- this man thought he could bend Necro to his will,  _force_  him into a relationship where his free will was challenged and subdued?

He thought he could hurt the people that Necro embodied, and not face the consequences of his actions?

_He thought he could get away with what he did to us?_

By the time Necro realised what was happening, what he was  _doing_ - President's torso was bare and bloodied, deep gouge marks carved into his skin as he shivered, trembled in shock... this magic was  _dangerous_. It left a bad taste in Necro's mouth, it... it was  _dark_.

His eyes widened in shock, fear and shame forcing his stomach to turn over.

_How could I let myself become so numb?_

Necro saw the skeletal hands fade away when regret pierced his heart, eyes widening as the remorseful tears threatened to spill from them, looking upon the scene... President was helpless. He was alone, and afraid, and so  _vulnerable_...

_How could I stoop to his level?_

Necro's guilt weighed heavily on his chest as he slumped in place, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, or scream for help... what was the use? Maybe, he and President really  _were_  meant for each other... maybe, they were  _both_ monsters.

President stood shakily, using his bat to steady himself as he panted on the spot, exhausted... He ached, all over- his lover's touch had never felt so brutally passionate before... it was such a  _thrill_.

President sighed in slight awe, reaching to cover his breast modestly with the remainder of his intact clothing. He'd never have guessed that Necro would have such a daring  _rebellious_  streak... perhaps that magician's spitfire attitude was good for something, after all.

He missed the fear in Necro's eyes as he approached his lover, a chilling smile still present on his face.

"You're so  _powerful_ , like this..." President praised- at least, Necro  _assumed_ it was praise- and he ignored Necro's unwitting yelp of surprise when he tugged the smaller fusion closer...

"P-please..." Necro whined, closing his eyes so that he wouldn't have to see the haunting indifference in the expression of the man he'd used to love. "Please n-no..."

"You'll remember eventually- The President  _knows_  you will," President muttered in response, nose brushing fondly with Necro's own. "The Necromancer will never find someone to love him so deeply... The President must heal his partner, but he decides to wait until he finds a safe place for the both of them to live happily,  _forever_..."

Necro sobbed in defeat, lips pressed tightly together as President tried to kiss him- his touch was far from welcome, now... Hands still pinned to the ground, body trapped beneath President's, unable to flex a finger...

_Was I ever worth anything to him?_

Necro hadn't the energy to protest, anymore... he hadn't the drive, lacked the power, couldn't stop this if he  _tried_... This was how it was meant to be, wasn't it? After all this time... this is what their stories had become.

_I'm sorry..._

There was a sudden movement, a force pushing against his gut- and Necro barely had time to open his eyes before he felt President's body being shoved away from his own. He was confused and disoriented- the lights suddenly too blinding to bear, and he recoiled, his hands clamping to his head in pain...

Something warm and wet spattered onto his arm, and Necro shuddered out a conflicted breath, hearing President give a cry of pain- what had happened? Who... who had saved them?

"Don't you even...  _think_  about narrating yourself out of this shit..."

Necro's mind was foggy, his pulse wavering... now that the threat was over, he felt so  _tired_... He felt...

_Why am I still here?_

Necro didn't want to be a part of this, anymore. Not a member of this Void, not a part of this family... he didn't belong here. He didn't belong...  _anywhere_.

_I never belonged with him..._

Marvin gasped for air when Necro dissipated, choking on instinct to rid himself of the remnant of President's kiss on his lips- and Robbie let out a harsh cough, his head lolling to one side as he lay helpless on the ground. He opened his milky eyes warily, almost scared of what he'd find, and...

Anti gritted his teeth as he kept his hand clamped over President's mouth, knife buried deep in the fusion's abdomen as he tried to look anywhere but at his sick and fallen brothers. His head was slightly bloodied, his arm a little swollen- he looked like he'd taken a small beating, but he was  _here.._. He refused to meet Robbie's eyes as he twisted his blade, tears of his own regret leaking through and falling onto President's ruined coat...

_It had been so long since he'd done something like this..._

President shuddered as his appearance wavered out of place, unable to keep hold of this form any longer, with how much damage the glitch had dealt him. He didn't care about his injuries, though- all he cared about was  _Necro_... he hadn't meant those words, had he? He still loved him, didn't he?

 _He still loves me... he_ has _to. He has no choice... We were meant to be together, forever..._

President had clung on for far too long... it only made splitting apart even harder when he lost himself, his body falling apart to reveal two distressed, hopelessly dazed egos, blood streaming steadily from identical wounds below their stomachs.

Marvin's eyes seemed to fade a little in horror as he witnessed Yan's body fall limp, seeming all too similar to the battle back in May- he watched, terrified, as the man he loved slumped forward, barely maintaining the strength to grasp at his open wound.

Marvin hadn't realised he was moving until he felt the sharp,  _twisting_ pain in his leg... he winced, still crawling forward, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

 _No- no! I won't let you die, I_ won't _lose you again..._

"Y-Yan!" Marvin uttered shakily, collapsing just short of Yan's chest as he reached forward, tugging the red-haired man into his arms. Yan seemed to sniff,  _crying_ , not wanting to meet Marvin's eyes- but he hugged back as tightly as he could manage, the life steadily fading from his once-energetic and excitable form.

"I'm s-sorry..." Yan sniffed, burying his face pitifully in Marvin's shoulder as a sudden rush ran through him, Marvin's touch feeling like fire against his skin. His sight cleared a little, but it was still fading out- his wound spilling even more blood onto his lover's torso. So much blood... Yan should have been dead by now.

He shivered, recognising that magical touch, the familiar tingling in his veins... "M-Marv, you c-can't..."

"I'm  _not_  letting you go!" Marvin refused, pressing his hand to Yan's stomach, trying feebly to compress the wound, refusing to admit to himself that he couldn't fix this, no matter how hard he tried. "I c-can't  _lose_ you, not like  _this_ , not.."

"You'll exhaust y-yourself,  _stop_..." Yan tried to argue, pushing Marvin's insistent hands away, no matter how it pained him to refuse the help. "S-stop... I d-don't deserve to m-make it through, this time... not after w-what I let him  _do_  to you..."

Despite his efforts, Marvin's face fell- he  _remembered_... he'd been trying so desperately to forget it, but it was there. It would  _always_ be there, haunting him, teasing him with the idea of a corrupt,  _perfect_ future he'd once considered subjecting himself to...

He'd never be able to forget about President's harrowing influence on his sense of self, his truth, his  _heart_... he'd be reminded of it every day, whenever he looked upon Yan's sweet face... But that didn't matter.

_It's a price I'm willing to pay, for you..._

"Hold on," Marvin urged desperately, replenishing Yan's blood once more, wishing that on one of these tries, he'd be able to seal that wound for  _good_... Even Anti could tell that it wasn't happening anytime soon. He was looking over at them with pity in his eyes, shame written across his face... he was trying to tend to Host's wounded figure, and the man was  _motionless_... In fact, it was impossible to tell whether it was really even Host at all.

Impossible, for  _most_ of them...

Robbie wasn't stupid- it was something Host had told him, so many times... When the others had assumed he was too naive to grasp a basic concept, or too childish to appreciate the relationship he had, or too simple-minded to understand a common phrase... Host had always supported him through it. Host  _knew_  that Robbie wasn't as dull and slow as the others seemed to believe him to be.

Host was here, just...  _sitting_  there. Lying there as he died in Anti's arms, accepting a fate that President would have fought so hard to prevent. That  _Author_  would have tried to prevent, most likely... It was what Robbie loved about Host, in a way. Host had never tried to argue with fate- he kept a level head in even the direst situations, knowing that the resolution would be worth it in the end. Host was the only man Robbie knew that could remain this calm, even when facing imminent death... It was him. It  _had_  to be...

"Host..." Robbie tried to call, his fingers twitching again as he pleaded for the chance to speak to his dying lover one more time. His voice was hoarse, still- his neck starting to ache from being rolled onto his side. The worst part of the following silence was how Host's face had tensed up, such a minute detail that nobody else would notice or care for... but Robbie could feel his heart shattering in his chest. There was no mistake about it- Host had  _heard_  him.

_Why is he ignoring me?_

He was vaguely aware of someone rolling him onto his back once more, adjusting his brace as they swore in undecipherable German jargon. He could feel someone's hand clasped around his own, but he didn't want to look to see who it was. He could hear the background noise growing louder, chattering filling the room, the confused and worried ramblings of his family...

Robbie sobbed silently, wishing he could hide his tear-stained face. Host... he was avoiding him. He'd never done that, before, and... somehow the feeling of being blocked off, set aside with no explanation, hurt more than any confrontation ever could.

"You're gonna be okay," Marvin insisted, lifting Yan's chin as he stared hopelessly into the other man's eyes. "I promise, baby, we're gonna make it through this- we're gonna  _make it_ , we can't l-let him  _ruin_ us like this..."

"Marv..." Yan sighed, shaking his head once more. "You c-can't keep summoning blood forever, it... you should just... let me  _go_ ,"

Marvin swallowed down his guilt, knowing why those words seemed so hauntingly familiar to him, knowing he was possibly the biggest hypocrite in the entire Void... he knew how difficult it was to break out of this cycle of self-loathing, hatred and resentment. He knew that Yan's emotions, his state of mind, his own guilt and anger towards himself... they must have been weighing down,  _hard_.

And Marvin wished he knew how to help. He wished, if for nothing else, that he'd learned how to pull himself out of the depths of his troubled mind. All he knew was that he loved Yan far too much to give up on him, now...

"There's a metaphor in here somewhere, y'know...?" Yan murmured, pressing his forehead to Marvin's, not knowing whether to be happy or somber about his lover's refusal to let him pass on. He reached down again, wincing at the pressure when he pushed his hand up against his wound. Marvin's fingers entwined desperately with his own, and the magician sobbed as softly as he could, nothing about this situation feeling  _right_... Yan wasn't supposed to die.

_This wasn't supposed to happen..._

"Y-you can try all you want to fix something, and... and keep finding ways to gloss over it, and... pretend it's getting better, when... when it's  _not_. And it w-wont, not like  _this_..."

"Yan-" Marvin tried to intervene, but Yan shook his head, pleading silently for the magician to stop. Any fool could see that this wasn't going to work. There was nothing either of them could do, but let fate tear them apart again... Yan felt  _different_ , somehow. He'd usually have fought the matter- tried to save himself, promising Marvin he'd make it through this, for  _him_...

But now, Yan could see how flawed that train of thinking really was. How could they keep doing this? Rebuilding on top of the ruins of past mistakes,  _knowing_  that their lives could crumble at any moment, when the past was still weighing them down?

It was better to clear the land and start afresh... or, better to live and let  _die_ , he supposed... He'd never been one for metaphors. Perhaps, spending all this time with Host had turned him into a novelist.

Marvin wanted to speak- but before he could try, he felt a searing warmth enveloping his shoulder. It felt like  _fire_ \- and when he turned to see who had approached him, he found himself looking up into Blaze's warm, yellow eyes.

The flame-covered ego seemed pitiful of them. He nodded towards Yan's wound, as if asking for permission, and... Marvin didn't quite understand. But if Blaze could do anything,  _anything_  to help Yan live... Marvin would let him. In fact, he'd  _insist_.

He nodded, unable to form the right words to say...

Yan flinched when Blaze's hand traced gently around his stab wound, the flames licking delicately at his skin, the blood slowly trickling to a stop, until...

"There..." Blaze muttered, smiling reassuringly despite his queasy expression. "I'll... I'll fix the other guy, now..."

Marvin let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, rubbing his fingers soothingly over the site of the freshly healed wound. It was still crusty with old blood, still wet with the new... Yan's hand trailed over Marvin's feebly.

"I... meant it," Yan murmured, tears welling in his eyes, still looking just as hopeless as he'd been when he was bleeding out. "I... I would have..."

"I know," Marvin sniffed, his anxiety still overwhelming his sense of pride despite the immediate threat being resolved. Yan wasn't going to die- he wasn't going to die  _alone_... They'd made it through this, somehow. Broken bones, battle scars and all... But their struggles weren't entirely over, yet. Even Marvin could admit to that...

"Komm, Chase- help me lift Robbie," Schneep called, eyes teary with remorse. He couldn't believe he'd played so obediently into President's scheme, couldn't forgive himself for leaving them alone together... it didn't matter how much he told himself he wasn't to blame.

Seeing Robbie's practically lifeless form like this, observing the blood-covered room, the obvious signs of a struggle... he couldn't brush something so serious as this off so  _easily_. His brothers had been hurt-  _badly_  hurt, and he hadn't been able to assist at all...

_Thank God Anti was able to break free when he did..._

"I think we're gonna need more hospital beds," Chase swallowed, looking around at the collateral damage President had done, also seeming downtrodden about having left the room. "Has Doc shown any sign of waking up yet?"

Schneep shook his head, scooping up Robbie's cold body and cradling him close to his chest. "Nein... mein Verlobter ist still out cold. Ze only possible reason Anti ist hier is because er can heal more quickly zhan ze others..."

"I think Marv's leg is broken," Chase frowned, observing the way his brother's knee was dented, slightly bowed. "But... he won't want our help with that, will he?"

"Er vill not have ze choice," Schneep muttered. "If zhere is vone thing I can help vith, it is physical injury... even if mein judgment on other matters ist clearly flawed,"

Chase let out a pitiful sigh, patting Schneep's back in an attempt to comfort him. "It wasn't your fault, Schneep..."

"I know," Schneep murmured in return. "But zat does nicht make it easier to handle... but I insist, now is not ze time to vorry about  _me_. Not vhen zhere are so many who need our help... Oh, Robbie. I did not mean for zis to get so out of hand..."

Robbie couldn't muster the strength to forgive the doctor aloud, so he buried his face in Schneep's chest, letting the tears he'd been crying soak into the bloodied fabric. Something inside him had snapped, that day.

And the happy, smiling little zombie they all knew and loved... he was no more. He was  _no more..._


End file.
